Category: MISC

SPICY CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

Spicy Chicken Spaghetti adapted from So Are You To Me
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts; diced
8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
1/2 OF an onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can Hot Rotel
1 can cream of mushroom soup
6 oz. Velveeta
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Mean while, saute diced chicken breasts, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in olive oil over medium high heat until chicken is no longer pink, drain and set aside.  Drain the pasta and return to pan. Stir in diced Velveeta, Hot Rotel, cream of mushroom soup, and the cooked chicken mixture. Season with salt and pepper.  Pour into a baking dish and top with sharp cheddar cheese. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

Modifications:
-I used cream of chicken soup.

Here’s what you’ll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Dice up a green pepper, mince 2-3 garlic cloves, and dice up 1/2 of an onion

Cut up the chicken breasts and cook in olive oil.  Add the green pepper, garlic, and onion (forgot to take a picture)

Cook the spaghetti until al dente.  Drain and add the cut up Velveeta.
Add the soup.

Add the can of Ro-Tel.

Add the chicken mixture.

Put the spaghetti mixture in a greased 9×13 baking dish.  Spread the cheese over the top and pop into the oven.
What you’ll end up with:

This dish was so good . . . how could it not be?  It has Velveeta and Ro-Tel so it is basically cheese dip with spaghetti.  YUMMY!

WEEKLY MENU

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

 DATE BREAKFAST LUNCH DINNER
Monday 5/23 YOGURT SANDWICHES AVOCADO TURKEY SANDWICHES
Tuesday 5/24 TOAST LEFTOVERS MODERN PATTY MELTS
Wednesday 5/25 YOGURT SOUP CRY BABY BURGERS
Thursday 5/26 FRUIT CHEESE & FRUIT AVOCADO CHICKEN BURGERS
Friday 5/27 OATMEAL C.O.R.N. PRETZEL CRUSTED CHICKEN
Saturday 5/28 KAHLUA BENEDICTS leftovers CHICKEN VESUVIO
Sunday 5/29 COUNTRY BENEDICTS ??? CHICKEN DIVAN

MY GRANDMA’S GRANOLA RECIPE

This month for Cultural Connection I am staying right here in America. I am bringing you my grandmother’s recipe for granola, I think she just called it dry cereal when I was a kid. She raised a family during the depression, and because of that was very frugal. She even used to make her own cracked wheat bread, where my grandma and grandpa had use an old (well it’s old to me) glass jar coffee grinder to crack the wheat in.. My dad used to love getting store bought bread as a kid because it was a special treat for him. We never could get that recipe from her, because she didn’t use one (of course, many grandma’s recipes are not written down).

I had to check to see if granola was in fact an American discovery and indeed it is. You can read the long version or check out a brief history of granola (the brief is through the eyes of Crapola-a granola company)…but in short it was JH Kellogg who came up with granola in 1863, and it might of fallen into obscurity, but was rediscovered and popular once again by the health food movement of the 1960’s.
There are many was you can make granola, but this is my grandma’s recipe the way I grew up eating it.
Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup oat bran (she used bran flour)
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup unsweetened coconut (I use the wide flakes)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey

The nice thing about granola is there has to be one for everyone and there are many way you can make it: Add some cinnamon and apple or pumpkin pie spice, or nutmeg and ground cloves, or leave out the coconut or sunflower seeds, add some pepitas or other nuts…it is endless….  I added chopped crystallized ginger in this one (I’ve been on a ginger kick lately) I have also used dried cherries or cranberries, but you can use other dried fruit you might like. My grandma didn’t use dried fruit in hers, but as always…you can add what you like.
It’s really simple, just dump and mix! A large bowl works best and I start with a wooden paddle spoon and end up using my hands!
Then spread it on one or two cookie sheets pressing it down in the pans. I use my stoneware bar pan it’s large, I also used my medium size bar pan.
Toast at 350° for 10-12 minute then stir and turn. Continue to toast it for another 10-12 minutes until the desired golden toasted, crispy, goodness. If you are adding dried fruit add that and mix it in when the granola comes out of the oven, that way it doesn’t get too hard and chewy.
You can eat it in a bowl and add milk or just snack on it as is. Use it as a topping for ice creams, yogurts or desserts. I have been making my own granola for years and really have a hard time eating any store bought granola…it’s just not the same. I like how mine is not too sweet, and you can control all the good stuff that goes in it!

Thanks for stopping by on this beautiful Saturday!

ACHIOTE PASTE – YUCATAN STYLE SAUCE

Yesterday while I was volunteering at my local Christian ministry my friend tossed me a brand new box of this Achiote Paste and said “here, you’re the cook – figure out what to do with this”.  I was intrigued and set out to do just that.  Now that I know what it is, I’ll search out some recipes to go with it.

Annatto Seeds
Commonly known as annatto seed in the States, the correct term for the seeds of an annatto tree is achiote seeds. Native to South America, they have been used to color food and cosmetics. These seeds have a peppermint scent and a slightly peppery taste with just a hint of bitterness. This seed grows on the annato tree. It is used primarily in Mexican and Caribbean cooking to impart a rich yellow/orange color. Annato seed makes a good substitute for saffron’s golden coloring, at a fraction of the cost. It does NOT, however, duplicate saffron’s unique flavor!
The seeds can be ground and added to soups and stews or made into a paste to be spread on fish or pork before grilling. It’s a tough process to work with annatto, as the dried seeds are very hard and quite difficult to grind.
Another popular use for annato seeds is to make achiote oil. Cook the seeds in hot oil until their skin dissolves. When the oil turns bright yellow, discard the seeds and use the oil for cooking.
To make paste:
Cover seeds with water and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderate heat for 3 minuts. Remove from heat and let stand for a couple of hours. Drain and pat dry using a paper towel so as to not stain a clothe one. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind to a paste.
The seeds can also be ground with garlic and any variety of chili peppers for adobo paste.
Annatto seeds have been used as a dye for fabrics and body paint since pre-Columbian times.
 Annatto Paste Recipe

In a small to medium saucepan, heat the olice oil over medium heat. Add the annatto seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until the oil becomes a rich, orange-red color, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool

Strain the annatto oil into the bowl of a food processor or blender, and add the lime juice, oregano, garlic, salt and cumin. Process the mixture on high to form a smooth paste. Pour into a glass jar and keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

I found this great recipe from In the Kitchen with Mary Sue and Susan:

Achiote Sauce

This sauce is a key ingredient in our Guatemalan Tamales, but it is also a flavorful liquid to use when poaching scallops, fish, or eggs.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 tablespoons achiote paste*, crumbled
2 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons white vinegar

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook the onions until soft and translucent, 12 to 15 minutes.
Stir in the garlic and tomato and achiote pastes and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chicken stock, salt and black pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring and skimming frequently, 12 to 15 minutes.
Add the vinegar and cook for a final 2 to 3 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor. Store in the refrigerator 2 to 3 days.
* Achiote paste is a bright orange seasoning paste from the Yucatan made of ground annatto seeds, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, pepper and cloves. It is often thinned with vinegar or citrus juices for marinades and sauces and should always be cooked first to remove any chalkiness. This is what produces the bright orange color often found in Mexican food, so be sure to wash off any utensils that touch it or they just might remain orange. The paste is sold in bricks and can be kept well wrapped in the refrigerator for a long time.

Fire Day Friday: Fight Night Ribs

There truly was no way of knowing that I would become as big of a boxing fan as I have become.  You see, Chris is a huge fan of boxing.  Did I say huge?  I mean HUGE!!!  If there is a fight on, you can pretty much guarantee he’s watching it.  When we first started dating, I thought, “crap, how will I ever truly enjoy this?  Ugh..I could easily become a boxing widow”.  But alas, that did not happen.  A strange phenomenon occurred, actually, I found myself looking forward to certain fights.  I found myself being able to hold actual conversations with people who knew the sport.  I found that at times, I actually enjoyed boxing.  It was a strange feeling to say the least.  Now, I’m one to think that boxing is a pretty brutal sport and there are times where I have to leave and go watch Shaun of the Dead in another room (lol), but for the most part, I have not become a boxing widow, but more like a boxing mistress 🙂

So why am I telling you all of this? Well, Saturday nights are usually fight night and I usually try to make something that goes well with boxing.  And let me tell you, ribs and boxing (and beer) are a match made in heaven!!  And these ribs…well, I hate to sound cliche but… they’ll knock your socks off!
The rub is one of my creations, but the BBQ sauce for the ribs…that delicious finger-licking good sauce is a slight adaptation of the notorious Pioneer Woman.  The two combined are magic!

Fight Night Ribs
Rub created by Jenn’s Food Journey, sauce adapted from The Pioneer Woman
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon cocoa powder (I used black onyx but any will really do)
1 Tablespoon paprika (I used Hungarian Sweet)
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 rack baby back ribs
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon molasses
2 Tablespoons adobo sauce (the sauce that chipotles are packed in)

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix together the cocoa, paprika, ancho chili powder, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper.  Rub the mixture over both sides of the ribs.  Wrap ribs in plastic wrap and let sit in the refrigerator for 8 hours. (OK, you can do it 4 but I recommend more)
In a sauce pan over medium heat, mix the ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire, molasses and adobo sauce together and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Preheat oven to 225 degrees F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack over top of it.  Spray the rack with non-stick spray.  Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes.  Carefully remove the pan from the oven, brush the ribs with a little of the bbq sauce, and cover with foil – be careful, remember that pan is hot!!  Place back in the oven, turn down the heat to 200 degrees and continue to cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to sit covered while you preheat your grill to 350 degrees F.  Brush the ribs with some sauce and place directly over the fire.  Grill for 5-8 minutes per side.  Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before cutting into them.  Enjoy!

OPPORTUNITY vs. ENTITLEMENT

Every morning Dear Abby lands in my email box.  I’m not sure why and can’t even remember signing up for it, but somewhere along the way I must have.  Most mornings I skim it and delete, but awhile back I read one that really ticked me off and then today there was a response to it.  One of my biggest pet peeves is the youth of today and the “virtual” silver spoon they believe to be hanging from their mouths.  So many (definitely not all) of them lack a decent work ethic or back bone and spend so much of heir time selfishly calculating “what’s in it for me” that they miss the big picture. about life.  I thought I’d share today’s Dear Abby because I was impressed that so many others agreed with me and that gives me hope!  Before today, I thought I was the last one clinging to civility, propriety and manners as society’s redeemers.  Okay so based on that statement this obviously goes deeper with me, but that is a story for another time.

 

READERS ADVISE ANGRY STUDENT TO MAKE THE MOST OF COLLEGE

DEAR ABBY: May I respond to “Bound for College” (April 9), the high school senior who is distressed because she may have to go to a state university?

This is America, the land of opportunity, not the land of entitlement. A college education is a luxury, not a right. How fortunate she is to have parents who can send her to college. It is my hope that her father does get that job at the university. What an excellent benefit he will have to get reduced tuition for his offspring.
If, however, that is not good enough for her, it is her right to refuse that gift. Then she may go to the school of her choice and pay for it herself. With the cost of tuition today, that will be quite an undertaking. There are a number of options: student loans, grants, scholarships, a job or an enlistment in the military.
As you mentioned, Abby, in your response, education is what you make of it. My suggestion to “Bound for College” is, lose the attitude of entitlement, look at how blessed you are, rethink your priorities and make the most of your opportunities. — MIKE M. IN BLOOMSBURG, PA.

DEAR MIKE: Thank you for your letter. Readers unanimously agreed that “Bound” needs to make the most of the opportunities that come her way and start thinking and acting like an adult.

Read on:

DEAR ABBY: I could have written the same letter years ago. The similarities are uncanny. I was accepted to my dream school, but due to my family’s financial difficulties, I ended up attending my backup school, one of the largest public institutions in the country.
During the first semester, I was bitter and angry. Slowly but surely, I began to appreciate the benefits unique to a large state university. I enrolled in an honors academic program, which allowed me to receive a rigorous education from an amazing faculty. I became exposed to people from different cultures with differing perspectives. There were numerous student organizations and clubs. I found new hobbies and became active in causes that were important to me. Although I was worried about the school’s party reputation, I quickly found other students who felt the same way I did.
“Bound,” the college experience will be what you make of it. For me, it was instrumental in shaping my future. I took advantage of the many resources available on campus. It opened up avenues for me and, most important, helped me to discover myself. I will be starting graduate school as a financially independent adult, and I can finally do it on my own terms. — SOPHIA K., ARLINGTON, TEXAS
DEAR ABBY: You can party at any school, and you can get an education at any school. To a large extent, you get out what you put in. Yes, there may be distractions on some campuses, but there will always be academically inclined students and opportunities if one looks for them. The “fit” of a school can’t really be determined until one gets there. So “Bound” should go where it is affordable and keep an open mind. She may find opportunities she has not yet considered. — L.C. IN CHARLESTON, ILL.
DEAR ABBY: Like “Bound,” my parents promised I could go to any school I wanted. I applied to one school and got in, but my parents told me I’d have to take out a loan if I wanted to go there instead of a state school (something that was never mentioned). I took the news hard and resented that I was being forced to make my first adult decision and would have debt when I graduated.
I chose to stay in-state. The school was a party school, and I spent most of my freshman year angry that I was there. A year later, my anger was gone. Abby, please advise “Bound” that it’s what you make of the college experience that counts. — BEEN THERE IN RICHMOND, VA.
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Cancer is a strange cell.
You can go along for years in remission.
Then one day it pops its head up again.
If you ever have it you will never be free of it.
Pray for the day there will be a permanent cure.

QUESDAILLAS

Yum!  It may not look extra-pretty, but these quesadillas were delicious and healthy.
All you need is flour tortillas, shredded chicken breast, 2 % shredded cheese, mushrooms, and some salsa to dip them in.
Using a flat grill or skillet on medium heat on your stove top, brown each tortilla on one side.  When you flip the tortilla over, add your ingredients.  Place another tortilla on top and continue to grill until browned on the other side.  Carefully turn the entire tortilla over to brown on the last side.  Serve warm!  Use a tomato-based salsa for dipping, and you’re good to go!  You can add any type of vegetables you like instead of or in addition to the mushrooms. Some good choices include grilled onions, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
Each tortilla has approximately 110 calories and 3 grams of fat.
1//2 cup of chicken breast  has 116 calories and 3 grams of fat.
1/8 cup (about 2 tablespoons) of 2% shredded cheddar has 79 calories and 6 grams of fat.
The calories and fat in fresh mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions is negligible, so add plenty of those!  Same with the salsa!