Recipes of Note: Baked Encheritos

Recipes of Note: Baked Encheritos: "1 cup cooked, shredded chicken meat1 small can diced green chili peppers, mild1 can refried beans, your choice2 scallions, chopped4 slices, ..."

Baked Encheritos

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken meat

1 small can diced green chili peppers, mild

1 can refried beans, your choice

2 scallions, chopped

4 slices, mozerella sliced cheese

Chili verde sauce

6 small flour tortillas or 4 medium tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees while assembling encheritos.

Place shredded chicken in pan and sautee with chili verde sauce (enough to moisten the chicken meat) over medium high heat until it bubbles.  Remove from heat.

Spread 2 tablespoons refried beans onto center of tortilla.  Sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded chicken on top of beans. Top meat and beans with a tablespoon of the chopped mild green chilis.  fold tortilla into thirds over the beans and meat. Place onto greased cookie sheet, flaps down.  Repeat procedure for other toritllas.  Place 1 slice of cheese on top of each tortilla and sprinkle some of the chopped scallion onto the cheese.  

Put into the oven and allow to bake about 30 minutes.  While encheritos are in the oven, prepare rice and/or salad as sides for the dinner.  Remove encheritos from the oven.  Remove from cookie sheet with spatula, gently lifting the bottom edges from sheet and placing encherito onto warmed plate.  Add a bit more chili verde sauce and serve hot.

Simple Cole Slaw

This slaw tuns out best if a food processor is used to chop the vegetables.

1/2 medium head of cabbage, cored

6 small scallions, washed and trimmed

1/2 large bell pepper, red, green, gold or a mix of them for coloring

1/4 cup fresh parsley, washed and chopped

1-1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise (any kind your heart desires)

1 to 2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoons milk or half and half

1/2 teaspoon salt

Sugar to taste for a "bread and butter pickle" sweet/sour taste

Cut cabbage into pieces of a size to fit into the food processor feeder.  Chop the cabbage lightly using the pulse function until the cabbage is coarsely cut.  Don't over process.  Remove cabbage into large mixing bowl.  Repeat the process for the peppers, scallions and parsley, coarsely chopping them together and adding to the large mixing bowl.

Mix all off the veggies thoroughly.  

Mix in the Mayonnaise, milk, salt and vinegar thoroughly spreading the ingredients. Try not to get too much liquid into the mix as the drier it is, the crisper it stays.  The last ingredient to add is the sugar and here you will need to taste-test the results to your liking as you add sugar and vinegar to give you the sweet/sour balance you prefer.

Drain any excess liquid and put slaw into a serving dish, garnish with thin slices of bell pepper and a sprig of parsley in the middle.  Refrigerate for at least one hour. 

Banana Cream Smoothies

2 medium ripe bananas, peeled and sliced

1 can (8 oz) unsweetened crushed pineapple

1/2 cup unsweetened frozen raspberries

1 cup fat free plain yogurt

IN a blender, combine all ingredients, cover and process for 30 seconds or until smooth.  Stir if necessary.  Pour into chilled glasses and serve immediately.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

1 package (24 oz) refrigerated garlic mashed potatoes (such as Bob Evans)

1 package (8 oz) softened cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup cottage cheese

1 cup Asiago cheese, shredded

1 cup crushed crackers

24 small or 12 large mushroom caps, stems removed

Clean mushrooms with damp paper towel. Do not submerge mushrooms in water. In a bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Spoon potato mixture into mushroom caps. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs on top. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes for small mushrooms and 20 minutes for large mushrooms on center rack.

Herbed Cheese Bites

Great for those last minute pot luck invitations!

Stir together 2 containers (5.2 oz. each) garlic and herb flavored spreadable cheese (such as Boursin), 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup finely chopped toasted nuts and 1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley. Transfer to pastry bag fitted with small star tip. Pipe into 30 mini filo shells (such as Athens), garnish with apple slices.

Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup by Paula Dean

1 loaf French bread (13 to 16 ouncesf)

8 large eggs

2 cups half and half

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

dash of salt

praline topping (see recipe)

Maple Syrup

Slice French bread into 20 slices, 1 inch each. Arrange slices in a generously b uttered 9 x 13 inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half and half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon,nutmeg and salt and beat with a rotary beater or whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices. Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Next day, preheat oven to 350 degrees, spread Praline Topping evenly over bread and bake for 40 minutes until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup. **blogger's note** I find the praline topping is optional -- good with just the syrup too.

Praline Topping:

1/2 pound butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well.  Makes enough for Baked French Toast casserole.

Breakfast Casserole - by Donna Dismore

12 ounces mild bulk sausage

12 ounces hot bulk sausage

10 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup sour cream

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

16 ounces mushrooms, sliced

2 cups cubed American cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook sausage in skillet. Drain grease and set aside to cool slightly. Then, in a large, deep baking dish, add sausage, eggs, sour cream, onion, peppers, mushrooms and cheese and stir to mix.  Bake for 30 minutes or until golden color.  Serve hot.

* Blogger's note** this works great reheated after having been refrigerated if you want to bake ahead of time and warm it up next morning!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons wheat germ

1 cup butter, room temperature

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 package semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or cooking spray. Combine flours, soda, salt and wheat germ, reserve. At medium speed, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. At low speed, gradually beat in flour mixture until combined. Beat in chocolate chips. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of dough at least 2" apart. Bake 13 to 15 minutes for paper lined sheet or 10-12 minutes for cooking spray sheet.  Bake on center oven rack!

Chicken Salad

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 cup Cranraisins

Mayonnaise

1 small package chopped walnuts

1 tall stick celery, chopped fine

salt and pepper to taste

Boil chicken breasts until tender, drain and cool completely. Dice chicken into small bits. Stir in cranraisins, walnuts and celery. Mix in enough mayonnaise to make salad spreadable, using 4 - 5 tablespoons. Salt and pepper lightly. Refrigerate about 1 hour. Stir again before serving with butter crackers or on butter lettuce.

Cranberry Apple Crumble

2 1/2 lbs green apples in 1/2" wedges
2 tablespoons plus 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons butter, room temperature, in pieces
2/3 cup plus 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine apples, 2/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, cranberries, 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and allspice. Spoon into 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Combine remaining flour, sugar and cinnamon with fork, stir with butter. With hands, squeeze mixture until crumbs form. Sprinkle over apple mixture. Bake until filling is bubbly and crumbs are golden, about 55 to 60 minutes.  Cool on rack.

Pork Curry

1 tablespoon all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, in 3" pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 14 oz can coconut milk

1/2 cup raisins

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 1/2 lbs pork rib end roast, cubed

2 green apples cut 1/2" pieces

2 ribs of celery, 1/2" pieces

1 teaspoon grated ginger, fresh

1/2 cup apple juice

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

cooked couscous or rice

Combine flour, curry powder and salt. Add pork, toss to coat. Place sweet potatoes, apples onion, celery, garlic and ginger in slow cooker. Top with pork.  Add coconut milk, apple juice and raisins. Cover, cook on low about 8 hours.  DO NOT LIFT LID while cooking.  Stir in cilantro if desired when pork is cooked. Place couscous or rice on serving plate, top with pork mixture and serve.

Tuna Melt Wraps

1 can tuna, drained

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons minced onion

4 tortillas or wraps

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/3 cup minced celery

8 slices cheese

Stir together tuna, carrots, mayonnaise, celery, onion and 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce. Divide cheese among tortillas, top with tuna mixture. Roll up.  Microwave wraps on high until cheese is melted.  Serve hot.

Creamy Chicken with Tarragon

5 chicken breast fillets

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons oil

1 cup cream

Lightly season chicken with white pepper.  Heat a wok or shallow pan over high heat. Add oil and swirl to coat pan. Add chicken in batches and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Return all chicken to the pan and swirl through tarragon. Add cream, bring to boil and continue to boil for 3 minutes or until sauce has thickened slightly. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Serve over buttered noodles.

Paela Valencia

Clams

6 oz plum tomatoes, peeled

1/2 cup olive oil

Rosemeary

1/4 teaspoon saffron

2 lemons, quartered

12 lb long beans

1/2 lb chorizo

2 cloves garlic, chopped

5 cups chicken stock

3 1/2 cups dry rice

Cut beans and clean clams. Cut beans into bite-size pieces, chop tomoatoes. Sprinkle salt over chicken pieces. Cut Chorizo into 1" slices. Heat oil in large, deep pan. Add chicken and chorizo and cook 5 minutes, turning pieces occasionally until browned. Add beans, tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, chicken stock.  Bring to boil then stir in saffron. Cover and leave to simmer 10 minutes. Add rice and salt. Quickly stir all ingredients together and bring back to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Remove lid, add clams, cover and cook 7 to 10 minutes more.  Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes before serving with lemon quarters.

Smothered Pork Chops & Potatoes

4 pork loin rib chops 3/4" thick

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 cup mushrooms, quartered

1 small onion, cut into thin wedges

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1-1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1-1/2 lbs potatoes, 1 " pieces

1 cup mini peeled carrots

1 12 oz jar pork gravy

2 tablespoons parsley

Sprinkle pork with sage and salt. Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Heat pan over medium heat, add pork and cook, turning once until lightly browned (about 6 minut4es). Remove meat.  Stir potatoes, mushrooms, carrots and onion into skillet.  Place chops over vegetables and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add gravy and Worcestershire sauce.  Cover and cook until pork is no longer pink, about 25 minutes.  Transfer pork only to plate.  Add parsley to skillet.  Boil until thickened, 2-3 minutes.  Pour sauce over pork and serve.

Pork Tenderloin Diane

1 whole pork tenderloin (1 to 1-1/2 lb)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Dijon style mustard

2 teaspoons lemon pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Cut tenderloin cross-wise into 8 pieces.  Place each piece between 1 piece of plastic wrap.  Flatten slightly with heel of hand.  Sprinkle surface of pork with lemon pepper.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy nonstick skillet, brown pork evenly, 3 - 4 minutes per side.  Remove pork to serving platter and keep warm.  Add next three ingredients to pan, cook stirring with pan juices until heated through.  Pour sauce over medallions and serve.

Ginger Marinated London Broil

2- 1/2" piece of fresh ginger, slided

6 cloves garlic

1/2 cup dry sherry

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 lb London Broil

Marinate beef in sauce 6 hours overnight.  Cook 18 minutes for medium rare - turning midway through cooking time.

Ginger Soy Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1/4 teaspoon Thai roasted chili garlic paste

2 teaspoons garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon thinly sliced scallions

2 teaspoons finely minced fresh ginger

1 cup unsweetened orange juice

1 teaspoon ginger

Blend all ingredients with whisk and allow to chill thoroughly. 

Tarragon Chicken

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

8 chicken breast halves (skinless-boneless)

salt

pepper

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound white mushrooms, halved or quartered

1 teaspoon dry tarragon

1/4 cup dry vermouth

1 1/2 cujps chicken broth

2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, chopped

HEAT oil in large skillet, high heat.  Sprinkle chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Add chicken breasts to skillet and brown.  Transfer chicken to slow cooker.

ADD garlic, onion, mushrooms and dry tarragon to skillet and sautee until vegetables are soft, 7 - 10 minutes.l  Deglaze skillet with wine, scraping up browned bits from bottom into the sauce.  Put contents into slow cooker.  Add broth and mustard to cooker, stir and combine ingredients.  Cover the cooker and cook on HIGH for 2.5 hours or LOW for 4 to 5 hours.

When cooked, add cream and fresh tarragon to ingredients and stir.  Cover and cook 15 minutes longer.  Season and serve over noodles, rice or your favorite carbies.

*I can't do the usual carbies so I often pour these over steamed vegetables which works just as well.

Dijon Sirloin (served over rice or potatoes)

3 lbs sirloin cut into 1" pieces

salt

pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 medium shallots, cut to half rounds

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup dry vermouth

1 cup beef broth

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dry tarragon

2 tablespoons of fresh tarragon

SPRINKLE salt and pepper over meat.  Heat oil over high heat in large skillet.  Add meat a few piedes at a time to brown.  Transfer meat to slow cooker.

ADD shallots to skillet and sautee 1 minute.  Deglaze pan with white wine, scraping brown bits up and adding mustard and dried tarragon to glaze.  Transfer mix to cooker, add broth and stir.  Cover the cooker and cook on HIGH for 3 hours.  Skim off any fat and add fresh tarragon.

ADD butter to cooker in pieces and cover.  Cook for 30 minutes more.  Season to taste, and serve over rice or potatoes.

Pork Roast Osso Bucco Style

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 lbs pork loin cut into 1" cubes

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sage

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup beef broth

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 15 oz can plum tomatoes and juice

zest of 1 lemon

zest of 1 lime

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

HEAT butter and oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to skillet and brown in several batches until nicely crusted.

TRANSFER pork to slow cooker.  Add onion, carrots, celery and sage to skillet.  Cook and stir until onion softens, about 5 minutes.

ADD wine to skillet and scrape all tastey bits from bottom of pan.  Transfer to slow cooker.  Add both broths and the tomatoes to the cooker and stir to combine.  Cover and cook on low heat for 6 hours.  DO NOT LIFT THE LID while food is cooking.  Slow cookers lose heat quickly once the lid is lifted and it takes a lot of time for the heat to recover, lengthening cooking time and possibly leaving the meat less tender than would otherwise be the case.

ONCE COOKED skim off any fat from top of sauce, stir in garlic, lemon and lime zests plus parsley and serve.

Roast Beef Slow Cooker Style

1 3-4  lb beef chuck roast

6 peeled and quartered new potatoes (med)

1 medium white onion, chopped fine

3 cloves garlic, minced or chopped fine

3 sticks celery, sliced 1/2 inch pieces

3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1 inch pieces

1-1/2 cup beef broth

1/4 cup soy sauce (Kikoman)

2 tablespoons dry sage

salt and pepper to taste
*optional* 1" long piece of hard Chorizo sausage finely chopped for tangy flavor

Mix oil, garlic, salt and pepper together.  Rub mixture into roast to coat.  Put onions, carrots and potatoes into cooker.

Heat large skillet and brown roast on all sides before adding to cooker (place on TOP of veggies).  Add broth and soy sauce.

Cover and cook on high heat for 4-5 hours or on low for 8 hours.  (DO NOT LIFT LID during first 4 hours of cooking!  Like rice, if you lift the lid, it alters the moisture/heat ratio and greatly lengthens cooking time).

Waldorf Style Apple Salad

6 small gala apples, cored and diced

1/2 cup raisins

2 cups red grapes, rinsed

3 large sticks of celery, finely diced

4 small scallions finely diced

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 tsp salt

sprigs of parsley for garnish

(optional 2 cups mini marshmallows)

Peel and dice apples, celery and scallions.  Mix thoroughly in a large bowl with the raisins, grapes, walnuts, lemon juice, mayonnaise and salt.  Remove salad to serving dish and garnish with sprigs of parsley.  Refrigerate for at least one hour.  Serve on a bed of lettuce or as fruit salad.

(Marshmallows are not part of the recipe but many people like this added sweetness in their salad.  Simply mix them in with the other ingredients prior to refrigerating)

Savory Sausage and Bean Stew

INGREDIENTS

2 lg chicken thighs, skinless

1/2 Kilbasa Smoked Sausage, diced

24 medium shrimp

1 can roman beans

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 stick celery, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

PREPARATION

Put broth into medium saucepan and begin heating over medium heat.

In large skillet or wok, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Brown chicken thighs on all sides. Place browned chicken thighs into broth.  

Add sausage, celery, onion and garlic to remaining oil in skillet and sautee  until onions are soft.  Pour mix into saucepan with chicken and broth.  Cover and cook mixture over low heat for 1 hour or until chicken thighs flake apart.  Add beans and shrimp to stew and stir.  Cover and cook until stew simmers.  Continue to cook for 20 minutes then serve.  Can be served over rice as a nice addition.

Serves 2