Category: MISC

CHICKEN CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE

CHICKEN CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup Wondra
3 tablespoons corn meal
1 LARGE egg, beaten
4 ounce can of green chiles, drained WELL
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese mix
Taco sauce, warmed
Sour cream

  • Toss chicken pieces, egg and green chiles until well coated.  Chill for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Combine Wondra and corn meal in a large ziploc bag.
  • Add chicken pieces to bag, tossing to coat each piece well.
  • Add cilantro and red pepper, tossing again.
  • Layer into baking dish.
  • Top with cheese.
  • Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through
  • Serve with Taco sauce and sour cream.

EPIPHANIES, GOALS & RESOLUTIONS

I like the idea of having even one epiphany this next year, especially if it happens as the New Year begins. Epiphanies can lead to resolutions and my one and only resolution is the follow through it takes to make those Epiphanies come to life. See the pattern here?  A nice big circle of completion!

While I don’t make a specific resolution list as I believe these lists can be a key to failure when you don’t/can’t accomplish the individual items, I do tend to make lists of the things I need to accomplish as a whole!  This year I am NOT making a list Per Se, but committing to completing all the projects on my desk and in my pending file as soon as humanly possible.  Unfortunately and realistically many of these can only be completed with divine intervention as they pertain to the VA and all the entanglements that go along with the biggest ball of bureaucratic red tape you have ever seen. My aim though is to become the SQUEAKIEST WHEEL EVER and clear my desk!

So I am scaring myself a little (okay ~ A LOT) with this commitment, but remember the age-old question is: ‘HOW DO YOU EAT AN ELEPHANT?’ And the answer will always be “ONE BITE AT A TIME!”  Some bites will be smaller than others, but that’s okay too!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, ONE AND ALL, AND MAY YOU TOO SEE THE LIGHT OF YOUR EPIPHANY!

It also can’t hurt to start the year out with a little old fashioned good luck – Black Eyed Peas.  I am making this year’s batch with the left over prime rib from Christmas – YUMMY!

MANY people swear by starting their year out with black-eyed peas for luck.  I’m not a superstitious person, but hey it can’t hurt!
As a kid I HATED black-eyed peas, but I recently found the Trappey’s brand and they are fantastic! Hubs and I ate them plain and polished off the whole can. In fact they were so good that I can’t wait to try their other beans in soups, field peas, navy, black-eyed peas with jalapenos, etc…
BLACK-EYED PEA CHILI

1 can Trappey’s Black-eyed peas with bacon
+/- 2 cups shredded left over pot roast
1 can original Rotel tomatoes
1 1/2 cups V8
1 small HUNT’S tomato sauce 
1 tablespoon Frank’s red hot sauce
1 package Williams Chili Seasoning packet
salt and pepper, to taste
water to desired consistency*
cheese bread or corn muffins
sour cream and onions to garnish

  • Mix together everything except the bread and garnish in a stock pot.
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer several hours until you can smell the chili calling you to the kitchen.
  • Ladle into bowls and garnish.
  • Enjoy!

*I use about 2 cups.  I like to start thin and simmer until thick (2-3 hours) to allow the flavors to blend together.

CREAM OF ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

CREAM OF ROASTED TOMATO SOUP
1 1/2 pounds ripe red vine tomatoes
1 package grape tomatoes, halved
1 large garlic cloves, minced
1 large bunch green onions, sliced thin
2 cups hot water
1 package KNORR chicken stock gel
2 tablespoons cream sherry
1/4 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon fennel seed*
1 tablespoon Litehouse red jalapeno rings*

  • Line a cookie sheet with foil.
  • Wash and slice tomatoes into large slices.
  • Lay tomato slices out of cookie sheet, toss in grape tomato pieces and garlic.
  • Salt and pepper the cookie sheet full of tomato pieces.
  • Roast for 30-45 minutes until tomatoes are soft and mushy.
  • In a large saute’ pan melt butter and saute’ green onions.
  • Add the hot water,  KNORR chicken stock gel, Litehouse red jalapeno rings and fennel seed, simmering on low until tomatoes are roasted.
  • Tomatoes should be near mush.  Using a colander drain off liquid into your saute pan.  
  • Using a food processor or blender puree’ the tomato mixture.
  • Add puree to broth mixture and whisk together well.
  • Add cream sherry and milk, blending well.

    *These are my ‘secret’ ingredients that make ALL the difference .

    GARLIC BUTTER CROUTONS
    leftover (day old) sourdough bread
    Butter
    Garlic powder

    • Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
    • Butter bread on both sides.
    • Sprinkle 1 side with garlic powder.
    • Cut into pieces and places on cookie sheet.
    • Bake until golden and toasted.

    SWEET LEMON CHICKEN

    SWEET LEMON CHICKEN
    4-6 skinless, boneless chicken steaks
    1/2 cup Wondra flour
    3 large eggs, beaten
    2 tablespoons Litehouse Chives
    Pink Himalayan salt and Fresh cracked pepper to taste
    1/2 cup White Moscato wine
    Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
    2 tablespoons butter
    2 tablespoons Avocado oil
    1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

    • Add chives to eggs and let set 5 minutes.
    • Generously salt and pepper chicken pieces.
    • In a large skillet melt butter, then add oil over medium-high heat.
    • Dredge chicken breast through the eggs and then the flour before adding to skillet.
    • Pan sear chicken breasts until golden.
    • Add wine and lemon juice, cooking until sauce thickens.
    • Top with Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

    SUNNY DAY BARS

    I added sprinkles for the holiday and a little food coloring for a festive coloring.

    SUNNY DAY (LEMON OATMEAL) BARS
    1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
    3/4 cups quick cooking oats
    2/3 cup sugar
    1 cup butter, softened
    1/2 cup milk
    1 egg
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
    1 teaspoon vanilla

    •  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    • In a large mixer bowl, combine all bar ingredients, beating at low speed until well blended.
    • Spread into an un-greased 13×9 pan.
    • Bake 15-20 minutes or until tester comes out clean.

    GLAZE
    1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
    3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

    • Combine all ingredients, stirring until smooth.
    • With the cake tester poke a dozen or so small holes in the cake so the glaze will ooze in.
    • Pour glaze over warm bars.
    • Cool completely.

    LIFE AS IT HAPPENS – BLOGMAS 2014 – DAY 22

    WOW seems like we just started this journey through BLOGMAS 2014 and here we are 3 days until Christmas.  Today and tomorrow are my BIG days for preparing for Christmas.  These are the days that I’m mostly in the kitchen or cleaning the house, wrapping last minute packages or running last minutes errands for ingredients for the BIG DAY.  The only thing on my list that I didn’t accomplish was the cleaning so will spend all day tomorrow doing laundry, vacuuming and cleaning the bathrooms.

    Remember when I told you I was a list girl?  Well, these help – A LOT!  I couldn’t get very good pictures, but those little presents are battery operated lights that change colors (red, blue and green) that I’m going to include on the plate when I deliver the goodies to the neighbors.  The purple list is accomplished and half the green list is done and will be finished up tomorrow and Wednesday.

    This is Cinnamon Roll day too – YUMMY! One of my favorite days of the year.  The recipe originally came from one of my favorite aunts who taught me a lot about art, cooking and just plain being creative.  I have made a few minor updates to suit our tastes, but this recipe was ALL her and a secret that my cousin and I kept until the day she died.

    ROLLS OF SHARON aka CINNAMON RAISIN BUNS
    ROLLS
    2 packages Fleischman’s Rapid Rise Yeast
    1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons sugar
    1/2 cup WARM water
    1 cup scalded milk (2 minutes in the microwave)
    1/2 cup Crisco stick
    5 cups flour, divided
    2 large eggs, well beaten
    1 teaspoon salt

    • In a small bowl combine the warm water, 2 teaspoons of sugar and both packages of yeast until well blended. Set aside.
    • In a mixing bowl combine the scalded milk, Crisco stick, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Blend well.
    • Add yeast mixture and blend well.
    • Add the well beaten eggs and half the flour. Mix until well blended.
    • Add the remaining flour (a little more if too sticky) and mix well until dough leaves the sides of the bowl and is elastic.
    • With vegetable oil, wipe the inside of another bowl.
    • Place dough in bowl and turn once.
    • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
    • Let rest in a warm place until double in size.
    • Punch down and divide into 2 balls.
    • Put one on the pastry board and one back in the bowl.
    • Let rest 10 minutes.
    • While resting prepare the filling ingredients.
    • Roll the dough to 1/8 inch thickness in a rectangle about 18×24 inches.
    • Spread half the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle with half the cinnamon sugar.
    • Spread half the raisins over that.
    • Roll tightly jelly roll style and cut into 18 rolls.
    • Place rolls in greased pans 1/4 to 1/2 inches apart.
    • Cover with wax paper and a towel.
    • Let rise again until double in size.
    • Bake 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.
    • While baking prepare the icing.
    • When rolls come out the oven, put globs of icing on each one. Return to the oven for a minute or two to melt icing all over the rolls.

    FILLING
    1 stick melted butter
    1 cup sugar
    2 tablespoons cinnamon
    1 teaspoon Pumpkin pie spice
    1 cup golden raisins

    • Whisk together the sugar and cinnamon until well blended.

    ICING
    1 stick butter, softened
    3 3/4 cups powdered sugar
    1 tablespoon powdered vanilla
    4-6 tablespoons milk

    • Mix all together until smooth.

    When re-heating rolls, put a pad of butter on top of roll before microwaving.
    These freeze really well.

    As we get to the end of our countdown I have remembered a few more fun anecdotes.

    • Every year we received a box of See’s candy and I was ALWAYS on the search for the sprinkle coated ones a.k.a. Milk Bordeauxs YUMMY!

    • One year my dad got my mom diamond earrings.  He wrapped them in their original box and then with my brother’s and my help we proceeded to nest these in other boxes (wrapping each box as we went) culminating with a Dishwasher box full of bricks in the bottom – Boy was she surprised and it made for chaotic family fun on Christmas Eve.

    • Another year we built an elaborate scavenger hunt all through the house to lead my dad to his ultimate gift in the garage.

    MENU PLAN & HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY

    Good Morning! I had a SUPER productive weekend. NOW I am ready for CHRISTMAS and a great new week!   I hope you are too.  It’s Monday morning so be sure to join in with Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom  for Happy Homemaker Monday.  Go check it out to see what it’s all about!

    ON THE BREAKFAST MENU:

    • A big cup of coffee, maybe 2 or 3 wit a touch of Mocha Kahlua and apple maple cinnamon oatmeal with golden raisins. 

    TODAY’S TO DO LIST:
    • Phone Calls
    • Cleaning
    • Baking

    CURRENTLY (STILL) READING:

    TV SHOWS THIS WEEK:

      Christmas Movies

      WEATHER OUTSIDE MY WINDOW:
      Rain, rain and more rain, but there is a slight chance of Snow for a white Christmas.

      ON THE MENU:
       Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie


      		 DATE BREAKFAST
      		DINNER
      MONDAY 12/22 OATMEAL
      		Chicken in Sabayon Sauce & Upside Down Potatoes
      TUESDAY 12/23 YOGURT
      		Vegetable Barley Soup & Grilled Cheese & Bacon
      WEDNESDAY 12/24 OATMEAL
      		Prime Rib, Garlicky Cheese Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts
      THURSDAY 12/25 Farmer’s Casserole
      		Baked Ham with Apricot Pineapple glaze, Scalloped Potatoes, Coconut Rum Carrots, Caramel Apple Cheesecake
      FRIDAY 12/26 C.O.R.N.
      		C.O.R.N.
      SATURDAY 12/27 French Toast
      		C.O.R.N.
      SUNDAY 12/28
      Bacon and Eggs

      		Chimichurri Chicken & Asparagus with Lemon Sauce

      NEW RECIPES TO TRY:
      Nothing this week.

      IN THE YARD & GARDEN
      Nothing this week.

      FAVORITE PHOTO OF THE WEEK:
      Ominous sky during storm last week.

      HOMEMAKING TIP OF THE WEEK:

      • Add a dry paper towel to your salad spinner and it will help absorb ALL the moisture.
      • If you’re like me at this time of year, you have batch after batch of goodies going into the oven.  To save time, line your pan with heavy duty foil before adding your recipe.  After cooling, you can lift the foil out with the goodies and start over with the next batch without having to stop and wash the pan.  Plus the foil gives you an easy, flat cutting surface. 
        ON MY MIND LATELY:

        Hoping everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas and Wonderful New Year.

        INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE: