Toasted Sandwich

This is really less of a recipe and more of an idea. About once a month we do our own version of Quiznos by toasting our sandwiches and creating a quick and delicious meal. The key to a great toasted sandwich is to start with great bread. I found these wheat mini-loafs at supertarget but I often use a large ciabatta loaf and slice it into 4 servings. The possibilities are endless for this meal. Use my suggestions as a guide but get creative!




Good quality bread - sliced in half

Place bread cut side up on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil or spread with pesto.

Top each piece with desired deli meat and top with sliced cheese.

(I used Apple Gate's organic turkey and ham. We topped one half of the bread with Havarti cheese and the other half with shredded cheddar.)

Place under the broiler for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is toasted.

Place pickles, tomato, spinach, onions, lettuce, etc. (whatever toppings you like!) inside your sandwich and enjoy!

Mac & Cheese & Peas

I made this recipe for Vaida's first birthday party specifically for the little kids that were invited but I remember many of the adults enjoyed it just as much. Why wouldn't they? It's cute ditalini pasta covered in gooey, buttery, cheese sauce. Oh, and the peas are added to make it "healthy". : ) Actually, I often stir in the frozen peas at the dinner table to help "cool off" the pasta quickly for Vaida. The cheeses I used tonight were just the ones I had on hand. You can use any one or combination of cheeses that you like; just be sure to use a block of cheese and shred it by hand for the best results!

Mac & Cheese & Peas

2 c ditalini pasta (or elbow)
1 tsp salt
1/2 c shredded white cheddar cheese
1/2 c shredded gruyere cheese
1 Tbls butter
1/4 c cream or half & half
1/3 c frozen peas

Fill a sauce pan half-way up with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add salt and pasta to the boiling water and cook according to box instructions (about 10 minutes) or until al dente. Drain pasta and return to sauce pan. Add cheeses, butter and cream and stir until all of the cheese is melted. Add frozen peas and serve immediately.

Baked Maple-Dijon Chicken

Here is another Pinterest recipe I found this week and gave a try. The sauce was really unique and the chicken was flavorful and moist. Of course I tweaked it a little, and added chicken broth and a bit of cream because I was worried the sauce would be too mustard-y without it. The end result was delicious, tangy and just the right amount of sweet. Since Vaida ate two servings of this chicken dinner it is a winner in my book!

Baked Maple-Dijon Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts
1/2 c Dijon mustard (do not substitute)
1/4 c Real maple syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 Tbls rice wine vinegar
1/2 c chicken broth
1 tsp fresh parsley or rosemary
1 Tbls heavy cream
1 tsp corn starch

Line an 8x8 pan with two layers of tin foil. Place chicken breasts on foil and set aside. In a small bowl whisk mustard, maple syrup, salt, pepper rice wine vinegar and chicken broth. Pour mixture over chicken and bake uncovered at 450 for 40 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan and transfer to a plate. Quickly whisk corn starch, cream and parsley/rosemary into the sauce that is in the pan and return the chicken to the sauce to serve. We served with mashed potatoes.

Recipe adapted from Table for Two. Original recipe: http://www.tablefortwoblog.com/2013/02/06/holy-yum-chicken/

Mexi-Lasagna

This meal is a Vossen original; meaning I had ingredients for tacos but didn't feel like making tacos, so made up this casserole/hotdish/mexi-lasagna creation instead. Considering that I was talking on the phone while throwing these ingredients together, I think it turned out pretty good. I love the cream cheese added to the taco meat. We served this with chips, sour cream and guacamole and we ended up dipping our chips in the hotdish too. It was super easy to make and I made it early in the day and put it in the fridge so all I had to do at dinner time was pull it out and bake. I found these frozen herb cubes at Costco the other day - they are awesome! I bought a pack of basil, cilantro, garlic and parsley cubes and I think they will be handy to have in my freezer for times that I don't have fresh herbs on hand. See my picture below of my new find. : )

Mexi-Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
salt & pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 2 frozen garlic cubes)
2 tsp cilantro, minced (or 2 frozen cilantro cubes)
4 oz cream cheese
1 pkg taco seasoning
2/3 c water
1/3 c Ortega taco sauce
2 large whole wheat flour tortillas
1 c monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 c cheddar cheese, shredded
3-4 Tbls black olives, sliced
green onion, chopped (optional)
sour cream (for topping)



Frozen garlic & cilantro - super convenient!

In a large pan, brown ground beef and drain excess grease. Add salt/pepper, garlic and cilantro to the beef and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add cream cheese, taco seasoning, water and taco sauce. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until mixture thickens. In a round casserole pan, spray with Pam cooking spray and place 1 of the large tortillas in the bottom of the pan. Spoon half of the meat mixture on the tortilla and then sprinkle half of the cheese on top of it. Add the next layer (1 tortilla, 1/2 the meat, 1/2 of the cheese). Top with black olives and bake at 375 for 30-45 minutes. Top with green onion if using. Serve topped with sour cream and/or guacamole. 



Baked Fish

Blame it on living in Minnesota but we do not cook with seafood, really, ever. I am making a conscious effort to cook with fish more often and with it being Lent, it is the perfect time to try out some new recipes. My mom gave me this recipe and we loved it. The crushed potato chips and Parmesan cheese give the crunchy exterior tons of flavor. It actually tastes fried, not baked. We enjoyed this baked hake with homemade tarter sauce (just mix mayo, lemon juice, diced dill pickles, salt and pepper). Enjoy!

 

Baked Fish

1 lb boneless fish fillets (we used wild caught hake)
1/2 c milk
1 c of crushed potato chips
1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbls bread crumbs
2 Tbls melted butter

Butter an 8x8 pan and sprinkle bread crumbs on bottom of pan.
In a shallow bowl, mix chips, cheese, and thyme. Set aside. In another bowl pour milk and dip fish fillets in milk and then coat in the crushed chip mixture.

Place coated fish in pan and pour melted butter over fish.
Bake at 475 for 15-18 minutes.

White Chicken Enchiladas

I love Mexican food and make the classic version of enchiladas (ground beef with red sauce) on a regular basis. I saw this recipe on Pinterest yesterday around 1:00; picked up the groceries for it at 3:00; and had it prepared and in my refrigerator by 4:30. I just had to put it in the oven and dinner was served at 6:00. (Awesome, I know!) This recipe was so good. I couldn't get enough of the sour cream sauce that covered the enchiladas and every bite was tender and cheesy. This will be a recipe I will continue to tweak, not because it needed it, but because I can already think of variations that would be fun and equally delicious.

White Chicken Enchiladas

This picture doesn't really give this recipe justice.

16 oz. Daisy brand sour cream*
1 can cream of chicken soup

1 Tbls fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp pepper

2 1/2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast (I used rotisserie chicken)

1 can Rotel (tomatoes with green chilies)

1/2 c chopped onions
(1) 4 oz can diced green chilies 

8 medium-sized flour tortillas

1 c shredded pepper jack cheese

1 c shredded white cheddar cheese

 



Cheesy goodness

In a sauce pan mix together sour cream, soup, cilantro and pepper. Heat through over medium-low heat and set aside.

 

Combine the chicken, rotel, onions and green chilies in a large bowl.

 

Fill each tortilla with about 2-3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture and then top with about 1-2 tablespoon of the pepper jack cheese. Roll the tortillas up and place them seam side down in a greased 9 x 13 pan.

 

Pour and spread the sour cream sauce over enchiladas and top with the shredded cheddar cheese.

 

Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted. (I baked the enchiladas with tin foil for the first half of baking and removed the tin foil for the 2nd half.)

*I had to list Daisy brand sour cream because I am their biggest fan - I pick up a tub weekly and use it for everything from chips and dip to baking. Once you try it, you won't buy any other brand either. : )

Recipe adapted from: http://skinnymom.com/2012/05/11/skinny-sour-cream-enchiladas/

Baked Italian Chicken

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and debated weather or not I should give it a try. It looked delicious, but I thought the recipe seemed way to easy/good to be true. Just mix together artichokes, tomatoes, a little seasoning, chicken breasts and mozzarella and an hour later you have dinner. Well it is extremely easy and equally tasty. We served this on top of whole grain spaghetti and it was a complete meal. I am excited to have a new go-to chicken recipe to have on hand. : )

 

Baked Italian Chicken

5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
(1) 14 oz can artichoke hearts (liquid drained)
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbls olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 Tbls flour

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 c mozzarella
2 Tbls fresh basil (optional garnish)

Mix first group of ingredients (tomatoes through flour) in a medium sized bowl and pour into a 9x13 casserole or glass pan. Place chicken into pan and partially cover with the tomato mixture. Cover in tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and remove tin foil - add cheese. Place back in oven under the broiler (I did mine on the low setting) for 5-10 minutes until cheese is golden. Top with fresh basil.

Recipe courtesy of Jill at http://aaronandjillw.blogspot.com

Beef & Bok Choy Lettuce Wraps

I am sure I had never heard of a lettuce wrap, let alone try one, until I moved to the twin cities area as a young adult. When I first saw people eating them as an appetizer at a restaurant I was so confused. Eating meat-filled lettuce with your hands? You have to admit, it would seem a bit odd to a "meat and potatoes" raised, farm girl. Well fast forward 10 years and here I a am feeding lettuce wraps to my family. We love them! Crisp lettuce, flavorful meat and nutrient packed vegetables all rolled up in one meal. We served this as a meal but it could be an appetizer or a side dish. If you don't have bok choy at your grocery store, you can substitute green or red cabbage. Really, any vegetables your family likes can be added to the filling.

Beef & Bok Choy Lettuce Wraps

1 lb ground beef
salt & pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 baby bok choy, cut in thin strips
2 c carrots, peeled into thin strips or shredded
8 oz water chestnuts, cut into strips
1 c green onion, chopped
4 white mushrooms, cut into strips
1/3 c soy sauce
2 Tbls hoisin sauce, stir fry sauce OR sweet & sour sauce
iceberg lettuce

Start by preparing all vegetables. Clean and cut the bok choy, carrots, water chestnuts, onion, garlic and mushroom and set aside.
In a large saute pan, brown beef with salt, pepper and crushed red pepper flakes. Drain excess grease Add vegetables and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 mintutes. Add soy sauce and stir fry sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Serve in lettuce wraps with additional soy or sweet & sour sauce for dipping.

Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli

Beautiful ravioli in brown butter sage sauce

In my quest to serve healthier foods to my family I have been following an awesome blog "100 days of Real Food". While scanning her recipe index I came across this recipe. I thought to myself, "Hey, I have a butternut squash that needs to be used...and I have a pasta machine that hasn't been used in two years...this is the perfect recipe for me to make tonight." Bad idea. The recipe itself is not bad at all, in fact, I would have considered the whole thing a fun experience back when I could easily spend a couple of hours care free in the kitchen. Tonight was not the case. I had a sick husband on the couch and a hungry toddler who wanted to "help" me in every way. Picture rolling out pasta while your toddler is adding flour to the dough and to the butternut squash filling (that requires no flour)! Then I had to fill and seal the raviolis one-by-one with my single ravioli press. I only had the patience to get about 8 ravioli made before calling it good . I whipped up the brown butter sage sauce (yum!) and called my family together to see the small bowl representing my efforts. Turns out, Ryan was too sick to try even one bite and Vaida refused to let one piece on her plate! I ate my meal alone and decided I wouldn't take on such a challenge again! On a positive note, I pulled out the pasta and filling after Vaida went to sleep and rolled out a bunch of raviolis which are now in my freezer. This recipe really was delicious and I can't wait to serve it again, only this time it will only take 10 minutes to make from my freezer as opposed to an hour and a half!!

Not so beautiful (but still yummy) ravioli for the freezer

If you decide to take on this recipe please follow the link to 100 Days of Real Food (I normally wouldn't provide a link to another persons site but this is pretty detailed and I followed her instructions exactly).

http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2010/09/01/recipe-butternut-squash-ravioli/

Sweet & Sour Chicken

 
I love Chinese food. I always feel torn since I cannot bring myself to ever order Chinese as take out (I am squeamish about kitchen cleanliness in general, and if a restaurant's exterior is a dive, I assume the kitchen is too).
Anyhow, when I saw this easy recipe on Pinterest I knew I had to give it a try. You probably have all these ingredients in your pantry already and could put this together as quick as you could order take-out!
Tip: when working with chicken I always wear disposable food-safe gloves. I buy them in bulk from Costco and they make cleanup a breeze after breading the chicken in the egg mixture.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
1 lb boneless chicken breast
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 c cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c veg oil
2/3 c sugar
4 Tbls ketchup
1/2 c white vinegar
1 tsp garlic salt
1 1/2 Tbls soy sauce

Cut chicken into 1" cubes. In a large ziploc bag, combine salt, pepper, garlic powder, ginger and cornstarch. Add chicken and shake to evenly coat chicken. Heat oil in large sauté pan. Drop chicken in beaten eggs and add to pan, cooking over medium high heat until brown on each side. Remove chicken and place on a sheet pan.
Whisk remaining 5 ingredients in a small bowl and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 for 30 min, flipping the chicken halfway. Serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

Good Lasagna

Growing up my mom had a recipe for "Good Spaghetti". I remember thinking it was a ridiculous name for a recipe. Of course it was "good" or else it wouldn't be in her recipe box. Well, here I am trying to come up with a catchy name for my lasagna and "Good Lasagna" is the best way I can describe it. I make this meal for company since it can all be put together before hand; I make it for friends who just had a baby since it can be put in the freezer for a couple of months; and I make it just for us when I want good leftovers, because after all this lasagna is just so good! The secret to lasagna success is using good sauce (no tomato puree in the jar) and good cheese (I use whole milk mozzarella).  I do use a prepared sauce but add diced tomatoes to it so it tastes homemade. Enjoy.

Good Lasagna

1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1 jar (approx 2 cups) good prepared marinara sauce (I use Barilla Tomato & Sweet Basil)
1 - 14 oz can diced tomatoes
3 c mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 c cottage cheese
1 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 c monterey jack or provolone, shredded
1 1/2 Tbls Italian seasoning or Penzey's Pasta Sprinkle
10-12 lasagna noodles

In a large saute pan, brown ground beef and drain. Add onion, garlic, salt and pepper to the pan and cook 3-5 minutes. Add beef back to the pan and add tomato sauce and tomatoes. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large stock pot filled with water boil pasta for 6 minutes or until al dente. In a medium size bowl, mix cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. In a separate bowl, combine mozzarella and monterey/provolone cheese.
Spray a 9x13 pan with Pam. Layer half of the pasta on the bottom of the pan - half of the beef mixture - half of the cottage cheese - half of the mozzarella blend. Layer in the same order again. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Let sit 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Awesome Chicken Nuggets

Finished product - yum!

About three years ago I saw how fast-food chicken nuggets were made and I have not been able to touch one since. That is why I am so excited to share this recipe with you. These nuggets have a crispy whole wheat exterior and are are made with organic chicken breasts. Our whole family loved them, especially when dipped in homemade honey mustard (equal parts mayo, mustard, honey). I served these nuggets with sweet potato fries - a perfect combo!



Homemade Chicken Nuggets

1 lb  organic boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten

Ingredients prepped and ready to go.

1 c seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs

1/3 c shredded parmesan cheese/

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper

olive oil 

 


In a large fry pan, heat about 1/4" oil over medium low heat. Cube chicken in 1-2" pieces and set aside. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, seasonings and cheese. Place nuggets of chicken in egg mixture and then in the breadcrumb mixture and then transfer into hot pan. Cook over medium low heat 4-5 minutes per side flipping occasionaly until golden brown and the center is no longer pink. (Cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken so check the first couple you do before serving.)



Breaded chicken before cooking.

 

Recipe adapted from Lisa Leake

 

 

Sweet and Sour Pork

I love sweet and sour pork. A friend gave me this recipe and this is the first time I tried to make it. Believe me, it was quite a disaster!! I started making this and then realized that I didn't have all of the ingredients...isn't that the worst?! I ran out of soy sauce so I had to improvise with Worcestershire. I couldn't find any pineapple in the pantry so I used a bit of frozen orange juice concentrate. Then, after adding the orange juice I finally found the pineapple. I made it with too many vegetables so I needed more sauce and ended up adding about 1/2 cup of prepared sweet and sour that I had in the fridge. Well, I am still sharing this recipe with you because somehow it all came together and we really liked it.

Sweet and Sour Pork
1.5 lb. pork, cubed
3/4 c. matchstick carrots
1/2 c. onion, diced
1 green pepper, cut in strips
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. dry sherry
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. oil
20 oz. can pineapple in juice
1 tsp. garlic
1/3 c. brown sugar
2 Tbs. Hoisin sauce
1/3 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. cherry tomatoes
sesame seeds
In a large wok, cook pork in a Tbs. of oil over medium-high heat until cooked through. Scoop pork out and set aside. Add another Tbs. of oil to the wok and add carrots and stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add green pepper and onion and continue to stir-fry until vegetables are cooked but not soft. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, dry sherry, cornstarch, salt, pineapple juice, garlic, brown sugar, Hoisin sauce, and cider vinegar. Pour sauce over veggies in wok and add pork. Stir and cook until thickened. Add pineapple and cherry tomatoes right before serving. Top with sesame seeds and serve over rice.

Country Omelet

This is the first time we made this country omelet and we loved it!! Smokey kielbasa, tender potatoes and green onions all perfectly baked together in a skillet style omelet. What's not to like?  Since the eggs are baked at a low temperature they are given time to slowly cook which makes for light and fluffy. You could substitute bacon or ham for the kielbasa and any cheese would work well. Next time I make this I'm going to add red peppers for even more color and flavor. Try this Country Omelet with your family tonight - you will enjoy every savory bite.

Country Omelet
8 oz polska kielbasa, cubed
6 lg. eggs
3 Tbs. milk
3/4 tsp. dijon mustard
salt/pepper
3/4 c. shredded parmesan cheese
3 green onions (white and green parts), sliced
1/2 c. mushrooms, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
2 Tbs. butter
1 c. fingerling potatoes, sliced 1/4" thick

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, milk, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside. In an oven proof omelet pan, cook kielbasa over medium heat until browned (5-8 minutes) remove kielbasa from pan and set aside. Add butter to the pan and let melt. Add potatoes and white onions and cook for 10 minutes, flipping occasionally. Add mushrooms to the potatoes and continue to cook until potatoes are tender (about 5 minutes). Remove pan from heat. Remove potatoes, onions and mushrooms from the pan and set aside. Now butter the pan if needed and pour egg mixture into pan. Sprinkle egg mixture with parmesan cheese, kielbasa, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and green onions. Bake at 350 F for 15-20 minutes or until eggs are set.

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten's, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics
Printable Recipe

Rotisserie Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups

I first saw lasagna roll-ups a couple of years ago on Giada DeLaurentiis's show, Everday Italian. She filled lasagna noodles and rolled them up instead of layering them in a pan. I loved the concept so much that although I never tried them a couple of years ago, I was reminded of them every time I saw a box of lasagna noodles. While grocery shopping, my eye caught a rotisserie chicken and ricotta cheese and the idea for rotisserie chicken lasagna roll-ups was born. I love doing a little experimenting in the kitchen but usually not for guests. Tonight a couple of friends showed up for dinner and everyone took second helpings so I would say this meal was a success. If you like chicken alfredo you will love this new twist on the lasagna noodle.

Rotisserie Chicken Lasagna Roll-Ups
2 c. rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese
2 c. ricotta cheese
1/2 onion, chopped
1/4 c. mushrooms, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella
15 oz. prepared alfredo sauce
3/4 c. marinara sauce
12 lasagna noodles
Bring a large pot with salted water to boil for lasagna noodles (cook until according to package or until al dente.) Meanwhile, cook onions, mushrooms and garlic in olive oil over medium heat in a fry pan until tender. Transfer into a medium bowl. Add the shredded chicken to the bowl along with white pepper, nutmeg, parmesan, and ricotta cheese. Stir filling until well combined. Take one lasagna noodle and lay out on a clean work surface. Scoop 3-4 Tbs. of filling and place on pasta. Spread filling evenly over pasta and then roll up. Continue process until all of the pasta is filled. In a 9x13 pan, pour marinara sauce and spread to cover the pan. Place lasagna rolls seam side down on top of marinara. Next, pour alfredo sauce over all of the pasta rolls and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 F for approx. 45 minutes. Printable Recipe

Breaded Pork Cutlets

Softball season is upon us which means we need to have simple and quick meals on Ryan's game nights. I picked up thinly cut pork chops just for this reason. I love pan frying chicken or pork cutlets in bread crumbs. They take such a short time to cook and they can be paired with any steamed vegetable for a well-rounded meal. I also like that they are great to dip in your favorite sauce: marinara, sweet and sour, barbeque, ranch, etc. Next time you are at the grocery store, stock up on thinly sliced pork chops or chicken breasts and keep them in your freezer. When you need a protein in a pinch, they will thaw and cook up quickly.
Breaded Pork Cutlets
4 thinly sliced, boneless pork chops
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1/2 c. bread crumbs (seasoned or season yourself)
In a shallow pan or large plate, season flour with salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. In another plate, pour bread crumbs and set aside. Dip pork chops in milk and then flour mixture. Dip again in milk and then in bread crumbs until well coated. Heat a large fry pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Place breaded chops in pan and cook about 4-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Carnitas with Homemade Tortillas

After watching Diners, Drive-Ins & Drives I wanted to give homemade tortillas a try. I had also never made carnitas but they always look so good on the show. I made mine in the crock pot since it is the easiest way to cook a roast. The meat came out fork tender and was packed full of flavor. My brother-in-law Eric and I had fun making the tortillas. I rolled them out paper thin and Eric cooked them in the cast iron pan. Together we were able to make a dozen tortillas in about 20 minutes which wasn't too bad for our first try. We sat back and enjoyed our delicious carnitas in our warm tortillas.
Crockpot Carnitas
3-4 lb. pork roast (shoulder or rump roast)
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried cilantro
1 tsp. cumin
3 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 c. water
4 oz. green chilies
Trim excess fat off or roast and set aside. Pour water and green chilies into a medium crock pot. In a shallow bowl combine all seasoning and place roast in the rub. Pat all seasoning into the roast and then set into crock pot above green chilies. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
Remove roast and shred. Return a small amount of liquid to the roast to keep it moist. Serve warm on tortillas.
Printable Recipe
Homemade Tortillas
Since I had never made these before I followed this recipe exactly on allrecipes.com. Click this link for recipe: Tortilla Recipe

Salmon & Carmalized Onion Pizza

Pizza is the ultimate favorite food in our household so we were so excited to attend a cooking last year that was all about this American classic. We walked away from the class so enthused about making homemade pizza dough that we came home and started our dough at 10:00 and enjoyed a slice by midnight. We were also inspired after eating some salmon pizza. Isn't it amazing that pizza can be topped with just about anything?! As long as you have great crust and bubbly cheese you know you are in for a fabulous meal. I have already posted my crust recipe of choice but there are plenty of great dough recipes out there. Find which one works for you and have fun perfecting it.

Salmon & Caramelized Onion Pizza

Pizza dough
Smoked salmon
Onions, sliced
Olive oil
Salt/pepper
Rosemary
Mozzarella cheese
In a small saute pan, add olive oil, onions and salt/pepper. Cook over medium-low heat until caramelized.
Roll pizza dough out thin, and top with a tablespoon or so of olive oil. Sprinkle with a little rosemary. Top with cheese, chunks of salmon and caramelized onions. Bake at 500 F for 7 minutes or grill.

Pizza Dough (makes two crusts)
1 pkg. rapid rise yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. sugar or honey
1 c. warm water (105 - 115 F)
1 tsp. salt
2 3/4 c. flour plus extra for kneading
Mix yeast, sugar and 1/4 c. warm water in a measuring cup and allow to stand until mixture is foamy, 10-15 minutes. Stir together the salt and flour in a large bowl. Pour yeast mixture and remaining 3/4 c. warm water and stir until dough just comes away from the side of the bowl. Knead on a lightly floured surface about 5 minutes and place dough in a separate bowl that is lightly brushed in olive oil. Cover with
plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Deep Fried Tacos & Elephant Ears

Deep fried tacos are a family favorite. My mom used to make these every year during the fair so we could all get our favorite fair food fix. They are delicious and fun - the perfect combination for entertaining guests. First we pile deep fried bread dough with taco toppings and enjoy. Then for dessert, we slather on vanilla frosting and sprinkle cinnamon on top of the fried bread and call them elephant ears. No one can come to an agreement on which is better. The beauty of it all is that you don't have to decide. One recipe with two toppings are sure to make you say "uff-da" after enjoying them.
Deep Fried Tacos
1-2 Frozen bread dough loaf
Taco toppings
Vegetable oil
Take frozen bread dough out of the freezer and let thaw in a short rimmed pan or large plate according to directions (or approximately 4 hours). Heat vegetable oil in deep fryer to 400 F. Using a serrated knife, cut loaf into 8 sections. Using your hands, stretch dough into 4-6" circles. Using tongs, place dough in deep fryer, turning occasionally until golden brown (about 2 minutes). Remove dough and let drain on paper towels. Top with seasoned ground beef and all of your favorite taco toppings.
*Note: when we first started making these we used frozen bread dough like stated above, I prefer using a basic homemade bread dough when I have time.
Vanilla Frosting for Elephant Ears
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbs. milk
In a medium bowl, beat above ingredients until smooth adding more milk or powdered sugar to achieve the right consistency as needed. Spread frosting on fried bread dough and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Tip: Deep fry outside or in your garage if possible to keep your house from smelling like grease. : )

Southern Fried Chicken

When I have a really good fried chicken dinner like we had tonight, I daydream that my grandmother is really Paula Deen and that every Sunday afternoon we enjoy her Southern comfort food. Luckily for our cholesterol levels, she is not. In reality, we do not actually eat this greasy of food every day, so when we splurge, we can really appreciate it. This recipe is Art Smith's and he knows how to make extra crispy chicken that is unbelievably moist. (Buttermilk is the key!) I love this chicken when it is hot out of the fry pan and when it is cold the next day.
Fried Chicken
3 1/2 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. salt
vegetable oil for frying
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
In a large bowl, pour buttermilk over chicken and sprinkle with salt. Toss until chicken is well coated - cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat 1" of vegetable oil in a large deep skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 360 degrees. In a shallow dish, mix flour and seasonings. Using tongs, remove chicken from buttermilk and dip into flour mixture. Shake off excess flour and place in hot oil. Turn chicken occasionally until golden brown and cooked through. Chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 F. Drain chicken on paper towels.
Note: Smaller pieces of chicken work best for frying. When I made this, the larger chicken breasts and thighs needed additional baking at 375 (about 15 minutes) in the oven to get to the right temperature. This could have also been because my oil was a bit too hot.
Recipe from Art Smith, featured in April 2010 Food Network Magazine.
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