Category: RECIPES

MEXICAN COBB SALAD with JALAPENO RANCH DRESSING

I originally copy catted this recipe (literally jotting down each and every ingredient as I ate the salad) from a favorite TEX MEX haunt in Texas, Chuy’s (1982), not to be confused with Chuy’s (1975)  a favorite haunt from the west coast. For several years they had a tug-o-war over the name, but somehow they both still exist.

It has since become a family favorite that we make A LOT during the spring and summer in particular.

MEXICAN COBB SALAD
Bed of Lettuce
Grilled chicken breast, chilled and chopped
1 roma tomato, chopped
1 avocado chopped
1/8 cup chopped green chiles
1/4 cup grated jack cheese
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Juice of 1 Lime

RE-VISTED MEXICAN COBB SALAD

AND then I originally posted this recipe for a beach party at Seaside Simplicity.   It was perfect to accommodate Martha’s Jalapeno Poppers. But that was a few years ago and then I updated it to include taco meat, black beans and marinated tomatoes. The dressing remains the key element of this salad.

JALAPENO RANCH DRESSING
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups mayonnaise
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon crushed parsley flakes
2 tablespoons Penzey’s California crushed jalapenos
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper

  • Whisk all together and chill overnight before serving

BAKED CARAMEL PEARS

In an effort to clean out magazines and cookbooklets, I joined Magazine Mondays hosted by Cream Puffs in Venice several years ago. What I really liked was that she wasn’t strict about when you posted so I could publish these yummy results as I found them. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find her bog for awhile and then she changed formats, but it got me working on that pile of recipes.

If you are anything like me, you have a drawer or a box full of recipes from newspapers, magazines, old maiden aunts, grandmothers, friends and every potluck you ever went to and said I have to have that recipe! Now while I usually keep the combination of spices and seasonings somewhat intact, I do make changes that make it more palatable to my family. So I always keep a list of likes, dislikes and allergies and am constantly altering recipes to fly by the seat of my pants.These recipes have been floating around so long in the box of scraps that I have no idea where they originated (but they look like pages from an old Lawry’s magazine when I worked there) which based on all my changes doesn’t matter, but reminds me to keep that box. Some days I feel like an archaeologist, but come up with oldies that were favorites and will now be revived.


BAKED CARAMEL PEARS

3-4 firm pears, pared and cut into fourths
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon*
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small squares
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 to 6 tablespoons chopped, toasted pecans, optional
1/4 cup rum soaked golden raisins**

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Arrange pears side by side, center down in an un-greased 8×8 baking dish.
  • Stir together the brown sugar and cinnamon.
  • Sprinkle raisins around the pears.
  • Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
  • Evenly dot with the butter squares.
  • Bake uncovered 35-40 minutes or until pears are tender and brown sugar is bubbly.

NOTES:

  • *I deleted the pecans and increased the brown sugar to 1/3 cup while adding the cinnamon also.
    **I soaked the raisins in rum for a day or so before and they were yummy!
  • Next time I will maybe broil the pears for a couple of minutes after they come out of the oven to crystallize the sugar.

CHICKEN or BEEF SHORTCAKES

I found this recipe in a pile of grams old recipe pamphlets and it sounded so easy to update while still being really tasty. I made beef today, but will make chicken next time and add celery, onions and carrots to make it more like Inside Out Chicken Pot Pies.

CHICKEN or BEEF SHORTCAKES makes 8
3 cups rotisserie chicken pieces* OR beef rib eye cubes
8 warm biscuits (made from scratch or Pillsbury canned)
1 quart chicken or beef broth
1/3 cup butter
scant 3/4 cup flour
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste

  • In a saucepan bring all but 1/2 cup of the chicken broth to a boil.
  • In a separate small saucepan melt butter.
  • Add flour and whisk until golden.
  • Add in reserved broth and whisk until well blended making a roux.
  • Slowly add roux to broth and combine well.
  • Simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Add chicken, salt and pepper to taste, stirring to coat chicken well and heat through.
  • Split biscuits in half.
  • Ladle chicken mixture onto biscuit and replace top.

NOTE: *I usually buy a rotisserie chicken each week at Costco to eat off of so always seem to have one around for quick recipes like this.

 

BALSAMIC BAKED MOZZARELLA CHICKEN

BALSAMIC BAKED MOZZARELLA CHICKEN serves 4
adapted from CafeDelites.com

4 skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons lemon olive oil
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix
FRESH ground salt teaspoon salt, to taste
FRESH ground black pepper, to taste
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 ounce jar marinated artichokes, drained well
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 LARGE shallot, sliced
1/4 cup QUALITY balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
3/4 cup fresh shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped Italian parsley
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped basil

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Place chicken breasts in a baking dish and drizzle with lemon olive oil.
  • Mix together Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
  • Rub seasoning all over each breast.
  • Arrange the tomatoes, half of the garlic, shallot slices and red onion slices around the chicken in the dish.
  • Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, sugar and remaining garlic in a jug to combine.
  • Pour over the chicken breasts, flip each breast in the sauce to evenly coat.
  • Bake 20-25 minutes (depending on the thickness of your chicken breasts), or until no longer pink in the middle.
  • Sprinkle with cheese and broil for 4-5 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden.
  • Garnish with parsley and basil.
  • Serve over pasta
  • Drizzle with the pan juices.

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BASIC OMELETTE RECIPE


BASIC OMELETTE serves 1
2 eggs
2 tablespoons water
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon butter
1/3-1/2 cup filling of your choice (bacon, diced ham, crumbled cooked sausage, onions, shallots, mushrooms, diced peppers, shredded cheddar or swiss cheese, etc…)

  • Prepare all your filling ingredients before you begin cooking as the eggs will cook fairly fast.
  • Whisk together eggs, water, salt and pepper in small bowl until WELL blended.
  • Heat a 6 to 8-inch nonstick omelet pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot.
  • Add butter and TILT pan to coat entire bottom.
  • Pour in egg mixture. Your mixture should set almost immediately at edges.
  • Gently push cooked portions from edges toward the center with a spatula so that uncooked eggs can reach the hot pan surface. Continue cooking, tilting the pan and gently moving cooked portions as needed until the surface thickens and there is no visible liquid remaining.
  • Layer your filling on one side of the omelet.
  • Fold omelet in half with turner.
  • With a quick flip of the wrist, turn pan and INVERT or SLIDE omelet onto plate.
  • Serve immediately.

HAWAIIAN HASSELBACK CHICKEN

I’m working on a Italian Pizza, Buffalo Chicken and Mexican Taco version too!
HAWAIIAN HASSELBACK CHICKEN adapted from The Painted Apron
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs**
3-4 ounces thinly sliced tavern ham from the deli
1 LARGE can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved **
1-2 cups King’s Hawaiian ORIGINAL BBQ sauce

  • PREHEAT oven to 375°.
  • Spray baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Slice thighs grid like, cutting about 2/3 way down DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY
  • Tuck a piece of tavern ham in between cut areas.
  • Arrange chicken pieces close together, but not cramped together.
  • In a small bowl fold together the BBQ sauce and pineapple pieces.
  • Spoon pineapple mixture over chicken. Use additional BBQ sauce as necessary to make sure chicken is completely coated.
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes until cooked through, basting with pan juices 1/2 way through baking time.

NOTES:**

  • Breasts work too, but require less cooking time. DO NOT OVERCOOK or they will be dry!
  • I also  throw in a small can of drained pineapple chunks just because hubby likes them and it adds a bit of texture to the dish.
  • You can prep this dish in the morning to cook when you get home from work. It refrigerates well to be baked later.

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CHILI HONEY LEMON LIME SALMON

CHILI HONEY LIME SALMON

2 limes – 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon and lime juice (about 1 lime and 1 lemon juiced) and 1 lime cut into wedges
1/4 cup FRESH chopped Italian Parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons water
4 garlic cloves, minced
+/- 1 1/2 teaspoons red chili flakes (based on spice level preference)
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 tablespoon honey
4 FRESH salmon fillets
4-6 baby sweet red, orange, yellow bell peppers, de-seeded and diced
1 large shallot, sliced thick

  • Preheat oven to broil settings on high heat.
  • Cover baking sheet with foil.
  • Spray foil with cooking oil spray; set aside.
  • Whisk together lime juice, parsley, olive oil, water, garlic, chili flakes, cumin and salt together to combine.
  • Add the honey and whisk again until well combined.
  • Arrange the salmon fillets, peppers and onion in a single layer on the prepared baking tray.
  • Pour half of the marinade evenly over salmon, peppers and shallots, turning to coat well.
  • Broil until the peppers are just beginning to char at the edges and the salmon is cooked to your liking, about 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and serve immediately with lime wedges and remaining marinade for added flavor.

PEACH BLUEBERRY CRISPS

PEACH CRISPS
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen diced peaches
1 1/2 teaspoons + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
pinch salt
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
3 tablespoons rolled oats (NOT instant)**
4 teaspoons flour
2 tablespoons COLD unsalted butter, cubed
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raspberries or blueberries or ???

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Lightly spray 2 ramekins with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Toss peaches, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, cornstarch, lime juice and salt together. Set aside.
  • In a small food processor, pulse oats until a fine crumble.
  • Add 2 tablespoons sugar and flour to oats and pulse until well blended.
  • Cut in butter with pastry blender until a coarse meal.
  • Stir in vanilla and walnuts.
  • Divide peach mixture between ramekins.
  • Divide raspberries over each ramekin.
  • Sprinkle each ramekin with oat mixture.
  • Bake 30-35 minutes until golden and bubbly.
  • Cool 5 minutes before serving – that fruit is HOT!
  • Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

CARAMEL CHICKEN

I can’t say why this is called caramel chicken, but it doesn’t really matter since I can no longer eat sugar because of my health so anything with the name caramel in the name is A-OK by me 😀 In all honesty I assume it is the rich caramel sauce you start with, but the finished product tastes NOTHING like the caramel sauce you put on ice cream.

Now, while I can’t actually eat sugar, I can prepare it the normal way and then be sure let the sauce drain from my piece of chicken so hubby can still enjoy the REAL thing.

Most of the recipes I’ve seen call for using bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, but I like to make it with boneless pieces for easier

CARAMEL CHICKEN
3/4 cup dry Jasmine rice
1 1/2 cups water
pinch of salt

  • Prepare rice per package directions.
  • Remove from heat.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Fish sauce
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1+1 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons FRESH minced ginger
1 SMALL shallot, minced
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, angularly sliced
2 tablespoons torn Basil leaves

  • Over medium-high heat, melt sugar 5 minutes or so until the color of iced tea.  Keep the pan moving like a jiffy pop popcorn tin 😀
  • Whisk together chicken broth and fish sauce.
  • Add fish sauce broth to sugar whisking until smooth. BE CAREFUL – SUGAR is REALLY HOT and will spurt AND BUBBLE.
  • Remove from heat.
  • In a separate skillet add 1 tablespoon avocado oil to heated skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Sear chicken on ALL sides.
  • Remove chicken to plate.
  • Add remaining tablespoon of oil.
  • Add shallots, mushrooms and garlic, cooking until soft.
  • Add caramel sauce, stirring to blend.
  • Add chicken and turn to coat.
  • Add basil leaves.
  • Simmer until sauce thickens.
  • Serve over prepared rice.
  • Garnish with green onions.

CREAMY BASIL CHICKEN

CREAMED BASIL CHICKEN
Skillet Basil Cream Chicken has always been one of my favorite recipes. Creamy sauce made with buttermilk and cheese, breaded chicken, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and more make up this super easy, delicious, and fool-proof chicken dinner. ADAPTED from Becky Hardin – The Cookie Rookie

¼ cup buttermilk
¼ cup dry breadcrumbs
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4-5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons avocado oil
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup heavy cream
1 shallot, sliced thin
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 (4 ounce) can pimentos, drained OR 2 small sweet peppers, diced
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons garlic & herb cheese, like Boursin
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish and cover with buttermilk for 10-15 minutes.
  • Pour breadcrumbs in another shallow dish.
  • Heat skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
  • Dredge chicken pieces in the breadcrumbs and place in the hot skillet.
  • Cook 5 minutes or until bottom side is crispy and golden brown.
  • Add remaining butter and oil and flip the breasts over.
  • Cook another 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
  • Add shallots to pan, cooking until soft.
  • Add mushrooms, cooking until starting to caramelize.
  • Add chicken broth and sherry to the skillet to deglaze, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet and bring to a boil over medium heat.
  • Add the cream, pimentos or peppers and tomatoes.
  • Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Reduce heat to low and add Parmesan cheese, garlic-herb cheese, basil and black pepper.
  • Simmer and cook until sauce reduces by half.
  • Add the chicken back into the sauce and heat through.
  • Serve over pasta with sauce.
  • Enjoy!

BACON PICKLE FRIES

BACON PICKLE FRIES – yields 12 “fries”

12 pickle spears
12 strips of bacon
1/4 cup ranch dressing

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Wrap each pickle spear in bacon.
  • Place the bacon-wrapped pickles on a baking sheet, seam side-down.
  • Bake until the bacon is cooked through and crispy, 12-15 minutes, turning halfway.
  • Serve warm or at room temperature with ranch.

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