BLACK BEAN, BEEF & POTATO ENCHILADAS

BLACK BEAN, BEEF & POTATO ENCHILADAS
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 pound chuck roast
2 1/4 cups enchilada sauce (see recipe below)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can original ROTEL tomatoes, drained well
1 large russet potato, baked
8 flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
FRESH ground salt and pepper to taste
Chopped black olives and onions, optional

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Spray 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Season chuck roast on all sides.
  • Heat avocado oil in dutch oven.
  • Sear chuck roast on all sides
  • Add onions to pan, top with 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, cover and bake 2 hours until meat is easily shredable. Shred meat into sauce.
  • Add black beans and rotel tomatoes to the meat mixture.
  • Wash and dry potato. Bake potato until tender along side the dutch oven.
  • Cool potato enough to e able to handle it. Peel off skin and coarsely chop.
  • Ladle 3/4 cup of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Divide potato among the tortillas and top with a sprinkle of cheese.
  • Add about a 1/2 cup of the meat mixture.
  • Fold sides over the filling and roll up placing seam side down in baking dish. Repeat.
  • Top tortillas with remaining meat and sauce, brushing to cover the tops.
  • Bake covered for 20-25 minutes.
  • Uncover and top with remaining cheese.
  • Bake 5-10 minutes more until cheese is melted.
  • Sprinkle with cilantro and Serve.

NOTE: You can easily replace the potato with rice of choice for a change.

HOMEMADE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK

During this isolation time, I’m returning to more and more scratch cooking – even more than I normally do 😀 I wanted to make some of my homemade COWBOY BROWNIES, but they called for sweetened condensed milk and I didn’t have any and was NOT going out to get any so decided to dig out the recipe to make my own.

HOMEMADE SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK – Makes 1 1/4 cups.
This Homemade version of sweetened Condensed Milk recipe makes a super delicious, made from scratch version of sweetened condensed milk for baking. It also makes a GREAT coffee mate or protein drink additive 😀

2 cups WHOLE milk
3/4 cup sugar, honey, or maple syrup (depending on the flavor you’re looking for)
4 tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract

  • Whisk together milk and sugar, honey or syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
  • Whisking often, bring to a low simmer and whisking often, simmer until milk has reduced by half, about 30-45 minutes.
  • Once reduced, remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.
  • Allow to cool COMPLETELY!
  • Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

ROAST CHICKEN with BLACK BEAN SALSA

ROAST CHICKEN with BLACK BEAN SALSA
CHICKEN
2 1/2 pounds chicken thighs or chicken-leg quarters
1/2 cup sea salt
3 tablespoons sugar
5 cups cold water
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon FRESH minced thyme
3 cloves garlic, minced
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper

  • Combine 1/2 cup salt, sugar and water in large bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt.
  • Place the chicken pieces in a large casserole and cover with brine mixture.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 3-4 hours.

 

  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Line a roasting pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Place chicken pieces onto roasting pan in a single layer.
  • Whisk the melted butter, salt and pepper to combine.
  • Brush chicken with butter mixture.
  • Roast chicken for 25-30 minutes.
  • Brush again with butter mixture.
  • Increase oven temperature to 500°.
  • Roast another 10 minutes to crisp and brown chicken.
  • Serve with Black bean salsa.

SALSA
1 tablespoon FRESH minced parsley
1 can white niblet corn drained
1 can rotel tomatoes, mostly drained
1 can seasoned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and diced
Juice of 1 LARGE lime

  • Toss together and chill.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 13 of 2020

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

These both came across my facebook memory feed over the weekend and it seems like the PERFECT time to share them as reminders that this too shall pass if we give it time and have patience!

GOOD MORNING sweet friends.  I hope today finds you well.  I know we’re all getting a little stir crazy.  I’ve been staying busy with DEEP serious spring cleaning and garden prep while we had a few really nice days, but a new storm blew in over night, the temperature has dropped 20 degrees and it’s raining again. So , in some respects much is the same in my world.

I pray every day that we as a society stay calm, do what’s right to keep EVERYONE safe by being a little bored and staying home.  There are just too many variables to take chances.  I also PRAY that this “isolation” is something that actually brings us all closer together with a better understanding of community. So for a sense of normalcy let’s get onto Happy Homemaker today.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE & WHAT I’M WEARING The high for today is supposed to get to 45, but I have my doubts.  It’s gray and rainy.  I have on Levi’s, a soft favorite hoodie and UGG’s.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE Hot water, peach yogurt and a banana

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE, WEEKLY TO DO LIST, HOUSE & CRAFT PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS

  • LAUNDRY, LIVING AREAS & KITCHEN… still working on a deep clean, have a couple loads of laundry to do, dust mopping and vacuuming also need done.  I did get a deep clean done on some lamps and shower tracks over the weekend.
  • YARD… Hubby finished working on the new garden boxes and weeded the soil before adding and turning the soil.  He also finished screwing in the 3rd rail on the fence and updating the raindrip system for the garden boxes and flowers. Spring bulbs have started coming up, but our lows at night are back down into the high 20’s and low 30’s so I’m still hoping they won’t freeze.
  • CHORE I’M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO…  There are still 2 “dust collector” large ledges in the living room that need everything taken down, dusted and put back up – just a lot of up and down on the ladder with furniture in the way.
  • APPOINTMENTS & TO DO… the appointments scheduled for this week have been cancelled and I’ll be staying in and working on some long procrastinated projects.
  • BLOG… I’ll also have some time this week to get caught up on long overdue recipes to write and photo editing.
  • TO RELAX THIS WEEK I’LL… to me is synonymous with CRAFTS & PROJECTS… I finished refinishing the drop leaf table and I FINALLY started the mixed media project that I hope to actually get finished this week since it’s a multi-stage project and if there is still time, a couple of small quilts that need borders.

WHAT IS ON THE DVR, I LIKE OR ON THE LIST TO WATCH/SOMETHING INTERESTING I WATCHED Got caught up on the DVR, have been watching lots and lots of cooking shows and started a new Netflix series called Northern Rescue.  We also watched several movies – JUMANJI the next level, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, 2012 and a documentary about Betty White on Netflix.

I’M READING Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA This is one of my favorite flowers from this weekend’s planting.

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
BREAKFAST
YOGURT & HOT WATER
YOGURT & HOT WATER
YOGURT & HOT WATER
YOGURT & HOT WATER
YOGURT & HOT WATER
ORANGE PANCAKES
LEMON PANCAKES
LUNCH
TURKEY & CHEESE WRAPS
GRILLED CHICKEN & TOMATOES
MEAT & CHEESE WRAPS
C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT
SALAD & FRUIT
??
??
DINNER
HOMEMADE PASTA & ARTICHOKES
BEAN BEEF & POTATO ENCHILADAS
ROAST CHICKEN & BRAISED RED CABBAGE
C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT
RUEBEN ROLL UPS
BREAD SALAD with OVEN DRIED TOMATOES & CHEESES
SPICY PEANUT CHICKEN & BROCCOLI
DESSERT
COWBOY BROWNIES
 

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

FEATURED PARTY LINKS FOR THIS WEEK

RECIPES TO LOOK FOR THIS NEXT WEEK OR SO

  • ROAST CHICKEN with BLACK BEAN SALSA
  • BLACK BEAN, BEEF & POTATO ENCHILADAS

INSPIRATIONAL

LIFE TIP

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

ISOLATION COOKIES

With all the time at home I decided to do a little baking and came up with a new cookie recipe.  I wanted to try my hand at exact and specific baking science measurements.  This cookie recipe turned out chewy, flavorful and quite satisfying.  Hubby LOVES them.

ISOLATION COOKIES
2 sticks unsalted butter
12 ounces bread flour (see notes)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ounces white sugar
8 ounces brown sugar (see notes)
1 LARGE egg
1 LARGE egg yolk
1 ounce WHOLE milk
1 1/2 teaspoons QUALITY vanilla
5 ounces semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
5 ounces golden raisins
2 ounces craisins

  • Line cookie sheet with parchment paper and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Melt butter and set aside to cool.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  • Whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla.
  • Pour butter into mixing bowl and add sugars, beating for 2 minutes until well incorporated.
  • Reduce mixer speed and add egg mixture until thoroughly combined.
  • Gradually add flour mixture until smooth, scraping down the sides. Chill dough for an hour before baking.
  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Using a cookie scoop scoop out portions onto prepared cookie sheets.
  • Bake 12-13 minutes until golden.
  • Let set 5 minutes before removing from the tray to cool.

NOTES:

  • The main difference between bread flour and all–purpose flour is a matter of protein. Bread flour, which comes in white and whole wheat varieties, has a higher protein content than all–purpose, usually 11-13%. It’s called “bread flour” because most bread requires higher amounts of protein to produce lots of gluten.
  • The darker the sugar, the chewier the cookie 😀

CREAMY FRENCH ONION ARTICHOKE DIP

CREAMY FRENCH ONION ARTICHOKE DIP
The original recipe called for:
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
15.5 ounce container of french dip
15.5 ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon scallions
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • Whisk cream cheese until fluffy.
  • Stir in dip and artichoke hearts, cheese, 1/4 cup green onions, parsley, garlic powder and pepper.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.
My version calls for:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces sour cream
KNORR French onion soup mix
1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 large bunch green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

  • In a small food processor pulse artichoke hearts, garlic, green onions and Parmesan cheese until smooth.
  • In a small mixing bowl blend together the sour cream, Knorr mix and cream cheese until smooth.
  • Add artichoke mixture and blend well.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

SPICY PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN & BROCCOLI – SHEET PAN STYLE

SPICY PEANUT BUTTER CHICKEN & BROCCOLI – SHEET PAN STYLE
1/4 cup QUALITY honey
1/4 cup QUALITY peanut butter
1/4 cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Frank’s original hot sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 LARGE limes, juiced
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper, to taste
3 1/4 pounds skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
Prepared white rice

  • Whisk together honey, peanut butter, liquid aminos, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lime juice, 1/2 cup avocado oil, salt and pepper.
  • Remove 1/2 cup of the sauce and set aside.
  • Add the chicken pieces and remaining sauce to a large ziploc bag.  Seal and refrigerate 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 425°.
  • Line a baking tray with foil.
  • Remove chicken from marinade and place on baking tray.  Cover lightly with foil for the first 20 minutes.  As you can see I forgot this time and it got a bit crispy, but still tasted wonderful.
  • Bake 35-40 minutes until chicken skin is crisp and chicken registers 165°.
  • At 25 minutes, toss broccoli florets with 2 tablespoons avocado oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add to baking tray and return to oven.for final 15 minutes.
  • Serve with rice and remaining sauce.

BUTTERMILK CHICKEN FRIED STEAK & PEPPERED COUNTRY GRAVY

BUTTERMILK CHICKEN FRIED STEAK
2 cups buttermilk
2 LARGE eggs, beaten
4 pork cube steaks
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/3 cup WONDRA flour
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons avocado oil

  • Place steaks in a single layer in a shallow dish.
  • Pour buttermilk over steaks and chill 1-2 hours.
  • Heat oil and butter in large skillet.
  • Combine flour and bread crumbs in shallow bowl.
  • Add beaten egg to another shallow bowl.
  • Season pork cube steaks with salt and pepper.
  • Dredge steaks through eggs and then flour before adding to hot oil.
  • Sear until golden, flip and sear other side.
  • Serve with mashed potatoes and peppered gravy.

PEPPERED GRAVY
3 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons Wondra flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
3/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper + (to taste)

  • Melt butter into bottom of pan you just cooked the chicken in.
  • Scrape up any of the chicken pieces and mix into new butter.
  • Add flour slowly, stirring until absorbed by butter and golden brown.
  • Slowly add first the milk and then the cream.
  • Stir constantly until thickens.
  • If necessary sprinkle in more Wondra until desired thickness is reached.
  • Serve over chicken and mashed potatoes.

INSTA-POT CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

INSTA-POT CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

DUMPLINGS
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup FRESH finely chopped Parsley
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons chopped FRESH chives
1 tablespoon baking powder
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
3/4 cup WHOLE milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted

  • Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt together.
  • Stir in milk, butter, Parsley and chives JUST until the batter comes together.
  • Set aside.

CHICKEN
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons butter
3 carrots, sliced thin
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
1 LARGE shallot, sliced thin
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons WONDRA flour
2 sprigs FRESH thyme, leaves only
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 1/2 cups chicken broth

  • Set insta-pot to saute’.
  • Add avocado oil and butter.
  • When butter is melted, add carrots, celery and shallots.
  • Season with salt and pepper, cooking 3-4 minutes until softened.
  • Stir in flour and thyme.
  • Add chicken, stirring to coat.
  • Stir in chicken broth and press cancel.
  • Place 12 scoops of batter evenly into pot.
  • Lock lid into place. Be sure the vent is in the sealed position.
  • Pressure cook for 3 minutes.
  • Turn steam valve into the venting position an allow steam to release naturally for 15 minutes.
  • Unlock lid and remove.
  • Ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls.

HONEY MISO FISH FILLETS & CAMP CARROTS

HONEY MISO FISH FILLETS & CAMP CARROTS
HONEY MISO FISH FILLETS

4 tablespoons QUALITY honey
3 tablespoons white miso paste
1 tablespoon water
3 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
2 tablespoons sake or dry white wine
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
4 5-6 ounce fish of choice fillets* (SEE NOTE)

  • In a small saucepan mix the honey, miso and water, whisking until smooth. Bring to a SLOW boil, simmering until dark golden.
  • Remove from heat and whisk in soy sauce, white wine, liquid aminos, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.
  • Divide mixture in half.
  • Add half to ziploc bag along with fish fillets and marinade overnight.
  • Reserve other half for next day.

NEXT DAY

  • Preheat oven to 475°.
  • Add reserved marinade to cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble.
  • Add fillets skin side up and brush with marinade.
  • Transfer cast ion to oven for 5-10 minutes until golden in color and fish is flaky.
  • Flip fillets and plate.
  • Spoon remaining sauce over fillets and serve immediately.

NOTE: COD, SALMON, HALIBUT OR SWORDFISH WORK BEST.

CAMP CARROTS
3 cups sliced carrots or baby carrots
1/4 pound crisp crumbled bacon
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon QUALITY honey
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper

  • In a 2 quart saucepan add carrots and enough water to cover.
  • Bring to a FULL boil, reduce to medium and cook 10 minutes until carrots are crisp tender.
  • Drain well.
  • Add butter, brown sugar and honey to pan, mixing well.
  • Add carrots and season to taste with FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until heated through.
  • Add bacon pieces and serve immediately.

HAPPY HOMEMAKER & MENU PLAN MONDAY week 12 of 2020

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

GOOD MORNING ladies.  I hope you are all feeling well and staying as stress free as possible during these crazy times.  Personally, I choose to remain positive and am surrounding myself with early spring cleaning projects around the house and lots of reading while I stay home.  Being immuno-compromised I worry, but REFUSE to panic worry and am just staying home and busy while I pray that others do the same and an answer is found to a vaccine and cure.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW & THE WEATHER OUTSIDE & WHAT I’M WEARING It snowed last night all around us, but not on the valley floor.  It’s gray and cloudy about 30.  We’re supposed to be in the low 50’s during the day and low 30’s at night this week.  In other words, normal Pacific Northwest pre-spring weather where you dress in multiple layers that you take on and off as the day goes on and the sun plays hide and seek with the clouds.  I have on Levi’s, a lightweight hoodie and UGG’s.

ON THE BREAKFAST PLATE Hot water, black cherry yogurt and a banana

AS I LOOK AROUND THE HOUSE, WEEKLY TO DO LIST, HOUSE & CRAFT PROJECTS, APPOINTMENTS

  • LAUNDRY, LIVING AREAS & KITCHEN… working on a deep clean, have a load of laundry to do, dust mopping and vacuuming also need done.  I did get a deep clean done on the stove and oven over the weekend.
  • YARD… Hubby is going to finish working on the new garden boxes on the days without rain.  He’s almost done with screwing in the 3rd rail on the fence. Spring bulbs have started coming up, but our lows at night are back down into the high 20’s and low 30’s so I hope they won’t freeze.
  • CHORE I’M NOT LOOKING FORWARD TO… Every year I do a deep clean of the tops of the window molding door jambs, the fan blades and globes which are some of my least favorite chores.  I run the globes through the dishwasher and then trade them with the next one until they are all clean and sparkling.  It always amazes me how much dust can accumulate on door jambs and tops of windows.  There are also 2 “dust collector” large ledges in the living room that need everything taken down, dusted and put back up – just a lot of up and down on the ladder with furniture in the way.
  • APPOINTMENTS & TO DO… fortunately, there were no appointments scheduled so this week I’ll be staying in and working on some long procrastinated projects.
  • BLOG… I’ll also have some time this week to get caught up on long overdue recipes to write and photo editing.
  • TO RELAX THIS WEEK I’LL… to me is synonymous with CRAFTS & PROJECTS… I have a table to finish refinishing, a mixed media project that I hope to actually get to and if there is still time, a couple of small quilts that need borders.

WHAT IS ON THE DVR, I LIKE OR ON THE LIST TO WATCH/SOMETHING INTERESTING I WATCHED Getting caught up on the DVR, lots and lots of cooking shows and started a new Netflix series called Northern Rescue.

I’M READING The Last Letter From Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

FAVORITE PHOTO FROM THE CAMERA

MENU PLANS FOR THE WEEK
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
BREAKFAST
YOGURT & HOT WATER
YOGURT & HOT WATER
YOGURT & HOT WATER
YOGURT & HOT WATER
YOGURT & HOT WATER
LEMON BLUEBERRY PANCAKES
EVERYTHING BAGEL DUTCH BABY
LUNCH
TURKEY & CHEESE WRAPS
GRILLED CHICKEN & TOMATOES
MEAT & CHEESE WRAPS
C.O.R.D. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR DAY
SALAD & FRUIT
PASTRAMI SANDWICHES
TUNA SANDWICHES
DINNER
4 INGREDIENT CHICKEN & SALAD
NOLAN RYAN MEATLOAF & SALAD
SOURDOUGH CHICKEN FRIED STEAK & COUNTRY GRAVY
C.O.R.N. CLEAN OUT REFRIGERATOR NIGHT
INSTA-POT CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS with SALAD
ROAST CHICKEN AND TART BLACK BEAN SALSA
SPAGHETTI & MEATBALLS with SALAD
DESSERT
CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
COWBOY BROWNIES

SUCCESSFUL RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK

FEATURED PARTY LINKS FOR THIS WEEK

RECIPES TO LOOK FOR THIS NEXT WEEK OR SO

  • HONEY MISO COD & CAMP CARROTS
  • BLACK BEAN, BEEF AND POTATO ENCHILADAS

INSPIRATIONAL

LIFE TIP This seems like a good time to share this:

HOMEMAKING/COOKING TIP

SPAGHETTI SOUP

SPAGHETTI SOUP
1 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
3/4 pound ground beef
4 cups beef stock
1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce
3 cups water
1 teaspoon dried basil
Parmesan cheese
8 ounces spaghetti, broken into 1 1/2 inch pieces

  • Brown sausage in cast iron skillet.
  • Drain grease.
  • Add sausage to stock pot.
  • Add stock, marinara sauce, water, garlic powder, pepper, salt and basil.
  • Cook, covered, on low 4-6 hours to allow flavors to blend together.
  • Stir in pasta; cook, covered until pasta is tender, 15-20 minutes longer.