Pad See-Ew

This is my favorite Pad See-Ew recipe. I omit the eggs and use beef and regular broccoli for it:

Pad See-Ew

Chile Verde Burritos

This is my favorite Chile Verde recipe:

Chile Verde

We make ours into burritos with our own homemade refried beans inside, chile verde poured generously over the top and sprinkled with monteray jack cheese. YUM!

Red Enchilada Sauce

This is my favorite Red Enchilada Sauce:

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons self-rising flour
1/4 cup New Mexico or California chili
powder
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion salt
salt to taste


DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and chili powder, reduce heat to medium, and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.
2. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and onion salt into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue cooking over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.

Scotch Chewy Squares

Scotch Chewy Squares

2 Sticks Butter
2 c. Brown Sugar
2/3 c. Apricot Jam
1 1/2 c. Flour
3 c. "Quick" Oats (I used old-fashioned)
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt

1. In a medium bowl (at least 3 qt.) saucepan, melt the butter.
2. Add the brown sugar to the melted butter, and blend with a whisk.
3. To the butter/sugar, add the jam, and fold in.
4. Add the oats and blend thoroughly (I use a wooden spoon).
5. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt; add and blend thoroughly.
6. Turn the dough into a foil-lined 10" by 15" cookie sheet (one with 1" high sides works best and spread to even thickness.
7. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes or until they begin to fall (do not overbake!).
8. Cool fifteen minutes; then cut into squares (6x8). Immediately turn onto a cooling rack (place the rack upside down over the pan, then flip them together) and remove the foil.

NOTE: If you wait too long the foil will stick to the cookies; if you cut them too soon, they will also stick.

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

For Blueberry Muffins:

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs (or 3 small)
1 cup granulated sugar (I used about 1.5 cups)
1 cup yogurt (I used sour cream)
½ cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cup blueberries-fresh or frozen(thawed)
1-2 tablespoon flour


For Streusel Topping:

1 cup all-purpose flour
⅔ cup granulated sugar
1 stick salted butter-melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon (I omitted this)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400F degrees and line standard muffin pan with paper liners and set aside. If you don't have liners, you can spray pan with oil (Pam).

To make the crumb topping in a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and cinnamon, add melted butter and stir with a fork until crumbly and set aside.

To make the muffins in a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and granulated sugar until combined. Whisk in yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract (mixture should be pale and yellow).

Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix everything together by hand.

Gently fold blueberries into the batter.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, filling about ⅔ of each cup. Cover the batter generously with streusel topping.

Place them in the oven and reduce the heat at 375F , bake about 18-20 minutes or until the toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes in the pan then remove muffins and cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Bread With Streusel Topping

This is our very favorite Pumpkin Bread. It has a delicious streusel topping. I found it here.

Pumpkin Bread With Streusel Topping

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cup sifted all purpose flour (I used 1/2 of this amount whole wheat)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Streusel Topping: optional (I added this to make it appeal to teenagers)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/4 cup butter


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour 8x 5-inch loaf pan. Beat sugar with oil till blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Continue beating until light and fluffy. Then mix in pumpkin on low speed. Add in dry ingredients on low speed and mix well. Pour into prepared pan. For streusel topping mix till crumb texture with a pastry cutter. Then spread topping over entire loaf. Bake 60 minutes or until
toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan and finish cooling.


Photo from The Charm of Home

Porcupine Meatballs

PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1 box Rice-A-Roni, beef or chicken flavor
2 tbsp. butter
2 c. hot water

Combine ground beef, egg, and rice-vermicelli mix. Shape into small meatballs (approximately 30). Brown on all sides in butter, in skillet. Combine contents of seasoning packet with hot water. Pour over meatballs. Cover and simmer until done - about 30 minutes. Other seasonings may be added to meatballs.

Mexican Rice

I received this recipe from a friend who made this for our family one night when we were in the process of moving. We LOVED it!

Mexican Rice

2 medium tomatoes, cored and quartered
1 onion, peeled and trimmed
1/3 c vegetable oil
2 c long-grain white rice, rinsed and drained
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 T tomato paste
salt
1/2 c minced fresh cilantro
pepper

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven the 350 degrees. Puree the tomatoes and onion in a food processor until smooth. You should have 2 cups puree (if necessary, spoon off an excess to measure only 2 cups.)

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the rice and saute, stirring frequently, until light golden, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the garlic and two thirds of the minced jalapenos. Cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in the pureed tomato mixture, broth, tomato paste, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and bake until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring well after 15 minutes.

Fluff and rice with a fork. Fold in the cilantro and remaining jalapenos. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

(She added cojita cheese to ours.)

Haitian Red Beans & Rice and Creole Chicken

These are the recipes I love for Haitian food:

Haitian Red Beans

Creole Chicken

Fudgey Oatmeal Bars

My friend, Maegan shared this yummy recipe for me (photos to come):

FUDGEY OATMEAL BARS

2 C brown sugar
1 C butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ½ c flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
3 C oatmeal
1 pkg (12 oz) semi-sweet choc chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 TBL butter
1 C nuts (optional)
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease jelly roll pan 15 ½ x10 ½ “ (I use a 9x13") Mix brn sugar, butter, eggs and 1 tsp vanilla in lg bowl or mixer. Stir in flour, baking soda & salt – add oats. Reserve 1/3 of the oatmeal mixture. Press the 2/3 mixture into prepared pan.
Heat chocolate chips, milk and 2 Tbl butter in saucepan over low heat. Stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat; stir in nuts, 1 tsp vanilla and ½ tsp salt. Spread over oatmeal mixture in pan. Drop reserved 1/3 oatmeal mixture by flattened-out spoonfuls on top of chocolate mixture. It won't cover it all, they'll resemble little islands and continents (yes, I'm a nerd). Bake until golden brown, 25-30 min. While warm, cut into bars and serve Enjoy!

Sugar Cookie Bars

Another yummy recipe given to me by a friend:

Sugar Cookie Bars

Cookies:

1 1/2 C sugar
1 C butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 egg
1/2 t almond extract
1 t vanilla
1/2 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
2 1/2 C flour

Frosting:

1/2 C butter softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 1/2 C powdered sugar
3-5 T milk
1 t vanilla
food coloring
Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer beat the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and egg until nice and frothy. About 4 minutes.
2. Add the vanilla and almond extract and beat for 1 minute more.
3. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Mix them around so that all ingredients are well incorporated.
4. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat for about 2 minutes.
5. Press the dough into a large jelly roll (cookie sheet) pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
7. Let the pan cool completely.
8. Time to make the frosting! In a medium sized bowl (or your stand mixer) combine the butter and cream cheese. Beat for about 2 minutes.
9. Add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla and food coloring. Mix for 1-2 minutes or until smooth.
10. Frost your pan of cookies. Cut the cookies into bars and serve!

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

I received this delicious recipe from a friend of mine:

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas

1/3 cup of honey
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tsp to 1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1lb chicken, cooked and shredded
12 corn tortillas
2 cups mexican cheese blend- shredded
1 14oz can of green enchilada sauce (medium)
3/4 cup heavy cream
1tbsp chopped cilantro- to garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place cooked chicken in medium bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and garlic. Whisk together to combine. Pour mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas (30min or up to 1 hour in fridge). Heat a large griddle to about 350 degrees. Heat tortillas on each side and until they are warm and flexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep them warm. Spray the sides and bottom of a 9x13 dish with cooking spray. In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish. Add a large spoonful (about 2tbsp) of chicken mixture on the center of each tortilla. Cover the chicken with a large tbsp. of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each. You will use about 1 1/2 cups of cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in pan. Pour the rest of cream and enchilada sauce over enchiladas in pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes - until cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown a little. Serve with sour cream, black beans, rice or green salad. I top the enchiladas with the cilantro when they come out of the oven.

Enchiladas

This is the way my mom made enchiladas when I was growing up. In fact, I always requested these on my birthday! My mom made them with ground beef, though this recipe calls for just cheese.

Enchiladas

2 10 1/2-ounce cans undiluted consommé
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 ounce baking chocolate
1 teaspoon peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup lard or corn oil
18 tortillas (homemade or purchased)
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
1/2 cup grated onion
Shredded lettuce

Combine consommé, tomato sauce, sugar, chili powder, chocolate, peanut butter, and cumin; allow sauce to simmer while tortillas are being prepared. Heat 1 cup lard or corn oil. Sauté each tortilla separately in the hot fat; do not allow tortillas to become crisp. Drain on paper towel. Dip each into the sauce; add one tablespoon grated cheese and 1/2 teaspoon onion. Roll the tortilla around the filling and place in a baking dish. Cover the enchiladas with more sauce and bake in a warm oven (300° F.) until thoroughly heated. Serve with shredded lettuce. Place remaining sauce on the table for those who desire it.

Tomato Bread

Tomato Bread (Photo coming soon)

1 pkg. (10 oz) refrigerated pizza crust OR homemade pizza crust
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (you can used dried basil too)
1 garlic clove, minced
4 plum tomatoes, sliced

Preheat oven to 375. Roll pizza crust onto baking sheet. Sprinkle crust with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese. In a bowl combine parmesan cheese, remaining mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise, basil and garlic. Mix well. Place sliced tomatoes evenly on top of pizza crust. Drop spoonfulls of cheese/mayo mixture evenly on top of tomatoes and gently spread across tomatoes. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Lindie's Chili

I got this recipe from my cousin and can't wait to try it!

Lindie's Chili

1 can (20 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (28 oz) peeled/diced tomatoes
1 cup diced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 lb of bacon
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 1/2 lbs spicy sausage
1/2 bottle hickory smoke BBQ sauce
1/4 cup chili powder
2 cans kidney beans undrained
2 squares unsweetened chocolate chopped (I don’t chop mine every time. If you toss it in, it should melt just fine.)

1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine tomato sauce, tomatoes, onion & Italian Seasoning.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until slightly crisp. Drain & stir into pot.
3. In the same skillet over medium heat, cook sausage over medium heat until brown. Drain & stir into pot.
4. In the same skillet over medium heat, cook beef until brown. Drain & stir into the pot.
5. Stir the barbecue & chili powder into the pot; taste & adjust seasonings. Stir in the kidney beans & chocolate & simmer until flavors are well blended.
Serve.

Sweet Corn Muffins

Goes great with Chili!

Sweet Corn Muffins

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup yellow corn meal
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups milk (I use whole milk in all of my cooking.)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup canola oil
3 tbsp. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or line 18-20 muffin cups.

Combine flour, sugar, corn meal, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Combine mil, eggs, oil and butter in small bowl; mix well. Add to flour mixture; stir just until blended. Pour into muffin cups filling 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.

Chili

This is how my children like their chili (no chunky tomatoes or onions):

Chili

1 lb. ground beef, browned (can use ground turkey)
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 can water (just fill up half the used tomato sauce can)
1/2 - 1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 - 1 tsp. onion powder
1 tbsp. BBQ sauce (optional)
1/2 - 1 cup frozen corn (optional)

Mix all ingredients in slow-cooker (crockpot) and cook on high for 4 hours, stirring occasionally, or on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with grated cheddar (or Monterey Jack) cheese and/or sour cream, or whatever toppings your family likes.

I always make sweet corn muffins or homemade biscuits to go with ours.

Vietnamese Honey-Roasted Chicken

This is a family favorite!

Vietnamese Honey-Roasted Chicken

Marinade 1

2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil

Marinade 2 (I often double this marinade.)

3 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. sesame oil

Combine marinade 1 ingredients. Rub onto the outside and inside of whole chicken. Let sit one hour in marinade.

Set chicken in baking dish. Combine marinade 2. Pour half of marinade 2 over chicken and inside. Place in oven at 375 degrees F. Baste chicken with the remaining marinade every 15 minutes until done (about an hour or so). Cut the chicken up and assemble on a serving platter. Serve with jasmine rice and sliced cucumbers. The leftover pan drippings can be used as a sauce over the rice.

(I have used this recipe on a turkey before--just make sure you double or triple the marinades.)

Cincere Lee's Pasta Salad

I received this recipe from my very good friend, Cincere Lee and it is the BEST pasta salad ever!

Cincere Lee's Pasta Salad

Dressing:
3/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup vinegar
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon parsley

Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor (you can make this ahead and refrigerate, if desired).

Cook 1 pound of pasta (I use bow tie) according to directions on box. Drain. Add pasta to a bowl and add some of the dressing, toss. It is best if the pasta is marinated and cooled in the fridge for a few hours before serving.

Salad:

bunch of spinach leaves, chopped
head of ice berg lettuce, chopped
Head of green leaf lettuce, chopped
3 tomatoes
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 cup feta cheese
1 cucumber, thinly sliced
1 cup craisins
1 cup nuts (I used chopped almonds)

Toss together with remaining dressing (use as much or as little of the dressing as you prefer) and marinated pasta. Serve immediately. (You can add cooked, cubed chicken to make it heartier.)

Corn Salsa

I received this recipe from a book club friend. It is delicious!

Charise's Corn Salsa

1 can white shoe peg corn , drained
1 can blackeye peas, rinsed and drained
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
6 roma tomatoes, diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
3 jalepeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 bunch green onions, diced
4-6 ounces zesty Italian dressing
2 avocados, cubed
3 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. cumin

Mix together. Serve with tortilla chips.