Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Shredded Pork Tacos

If you love authentic-style Mexican food, this is for you. I tried this the other night, and it's fabulous. Get a pork tenderloin or Boston Butt. Cook it in the crock pot with a packet of taco seasoning, some cilantro and a can of rotel tomatoes.




Take it out and pull the pork. Saute the pork in olive oil, salt and pepper ( and maybe a couple spoonfuls of the juice from the crock pot), until slightly crispy on the outside of the pork pieces. Spoon into soft taco shells.



Top with fresh guacamole, lime (THIS is important- great taste!), and diced cilantro and onions. You can also add fresh salsa and shredded pepper jack cheese if you want.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Bourbon Chicken

Source: You're Gonna Bake It After All, originally from RecipeZaar

Ingredients:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces Olive Oil Cooking Spray (or 1 tbsp. olive oil)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1/3 cup reduce sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespooon cornstarch/1 Tablespoon water (optional)

Directions:
Spray a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray (or use the 1 tbsp. olive oil). Add chicken and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove chicken from skillet.
Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well mixed and dissolved.
Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
If you prefer a thicker sauce, combine 1 tbsp. water and 1 tbsp. cornstarch in a separate bowl and add a little at at time to reach desired consistency.
Serve over hot rice, if desired.

-Jen

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken

- 4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 bottle barbeque sauce
- 1/2 cup italian dressing
- 2 tbsp worcester sauce
- 2 cloves garlic

- Combine all ingredients in slow cooker.
- Cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours.

-moonwhine

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip (aka Crack Dip)

- 8 oz (1 package) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
- 1/2 cup Frank's hot sauce (do not substitute!!)
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (or canned chicken)
- 1 celery stalk, diced

- Combine all ingredients in microwave safe bowl, reserving some blue cheese crumbles for topping
- Microwave on High, 5 minutes
- Stir and top with reserved blue cheese crumbles
- Serve with tortilla chips, carrots and celery

-moonwhine

Roasted Butternut Squash

- Butternut squash, cubed (can leave skin on if desired, it's where all the nutrients are!)
- Honey
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg

- Preheat oven to 350.
- Toss all ingredients together.
- Place in baking pan
- Bake for 35-40 minutes

-moonwhine

Easiest Pork Chops Ever

- 4-6 pork chops
- Roasted red pepper dressing
- Trader Joe's Oh My Omega Trek Mix (or any trail mix with assorted nuts, cherries and/or cranberries)
- Crumbled goat cheese

- Preheat oven to 350.
- If desired, sear pork chops to lock in juicyness
- Place pork chops in baking pan
- Cover with desired amount of red pepper dressing
- Top with desired amount of trail mix and goat cheese
- Bake for 35-40 minutes

-moonwhine

Mexican Rice Casserole

Mexican Rice Casserole
Serves 6

1/3 c. olive oil
1 c. chopped onions
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 t. minced garlic
1 c. long grain rice
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 c. peeled seeded and chopped roma tomatoes
1 t. salt
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 lb ground turkey, browned
Chopped cilantro and green onions

Heat oil in large saucepan on medium heat.  Add onions and peppers.  Cook, stirring until soft about 4 min.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Add rice and cook, stirring, until opaque and nutty in aroma - 2 to 3 minutes.  Add turkey, chicken broth, tomatoes, salt and taco seasoning.  Bring to boil, cover with tight fitting lid.  Cook for 15 minutes or until rice is tender.  Top with chopped cilantro and green onions.
 
-Danielle

Cornmeal Crusted Fish Rolls with Spicy Slaw

Cornmeal Crusted Fish Rolls with Spicy Slaw
Serves 4

1 1/2 lbs fish fillets (I used tillapia, but you can use any kind)
1/4 c. cornmeal
2 t. cajun seasoning
1/4 c. oil
1/2 bag coleslaw mix
1/2 c. Asian or Italian dressing
1 T. hot sauce
8 small rolls

Cut fish into 8 pieces, rinse and pat dry.  Combine cornmeal and cajun seasoning in a shallow dish.  Coat fish with mixture. 
Heat oil in fry pan.  Add fish pieces and cook until tender and flaking apart when tested with fork.

In a small bowl, combine coleslaw mix and asian dressing.  Place fish pieces on each roll, top with slaw.

-Danielle

Big Breakfast Pie

Big Breakfast Pie
(my adaptation from a Today's Parent magazine recipe)
Serves 8

6 mild Italian sausages
1/2 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
7 eggs, divided
Salt and pepper
1 c. cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook sausage on grill, or fry pan. Slice each into 6 pieces, set aside.
Roll pastry out into a rough circle, place in a 9" pie plate and let edges hang over the sides.
Place sausage in bottom of pie plate.
Whisk 6 eggs with salt and pepper.  Spoon a little of the mixture into a small bowl and set aside.  Pour remaining eggs over sausage in pie plate.  Sprinkle cheese over eggs.
In small overlapping sections, fold pastry up toward centre of pie tightly, with just a small hole showing.
Brush reserved egg mixture over pastry.
Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and crack remaining egg in centre of pie.  Return to oven for another 15 minutes.  Let stand 8 minutes before serving.

-Danielle

Meatball Sandwiches with Red Peppers and Onions

Meatball Sandwiches with Red Peppers and Onions
Serves 4

2 pita pockets
24 frozen Italian meatballs, cooked according to package instructions
1 red pepper, sliced into thin strips
1/2 red onion, sliced into thin strips
1 T. olive oil
1 jar (3 cups) pasta sauce
4 slices mozzarella cheese

Heat oil in large fry pan.  Add onions and peppers, cook until soft (approx 5 min).  Add pasta sauce and cooked meatballs. 
Cut pita pockets in half, stuff with meatball and pepper mixture.  Add sliced mozzarella.

-Danielle