Thursday, January 7, 2010

Honey Lime Chicken Enchiladas


For more recipes like this visit http://phemomenon.blogspot.com!
For more recipes like this visit http://phemomenon.blogspot.com!

Prepared by Holly Hanks
http://phemomenon.blogspot.com

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 large limes)
  • 2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 2 large cloves of garlic, finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts), cooked and shredded
  • 12 corn tortillas
  • 2 cups of Mexican cheese blend, shredded (1 small bag usually is 2 cups)
  • 1 14-oz can of green enchilada sauce (mild or medium, to your taste)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream
  • nonstick cooking spray
  • 1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro, to garnish


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the cooked and shredded chicken in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, place the honey, lime juice, chili powder and minced garlic or garlic powder. Whisk together thoroughly to combine. Pour this mixture over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to marinate while you prepare the tortillas, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, in the refrigerator.


Heat a large griddle till a drop of water skitters across (about 350 degrees F). Spray the surface with non-stick cooking spray or a oil it with a little bit of canola oil in between each round of tortillas. Heat tortillas about 20 seconds on each side till warm and flexible and some golden brown spots have appeared. Remove the tortillas from the griddle and keep them between a couple of paper towels until ready to use.

 
Spray the sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray. 
In a medium bowl combine the enchilada sauce and the heavy cream. Spread about 1/2 cup of the mixture in the bottom of the oiled baking dish. 
Add a large spoonful (about 2 tablespoons) of the chicken mixture to the center of each tortilla in a line. Cover the chicken with a large tablespoon (or big pinch) of cheese, then roll the tortilla up from one side to make a rolled enchilada - it will be more of an over lap on the seam side that rolled tightly. Place the enchilada seam side down in the baking dish starting at one end with the long edge parallel to the longest side of the pan so that you end up with two columns of six enchiladas each.

Repeat with the remaining chicken, cheese and tortillas. You will use about 1 1/2 cups of the cheese for the filling and set the remainder aside for topping the enchiladas in the pan. Add the remaining marinade mixture to the enchilada sauce and cream mixture, if desired. Pour this mixture over the top of all the enchiladas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.


Bake the enchiladas for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly and starting to brown on top. Serve with sour cream, black beans, and rice or a green salad for a great meal.


Serves 4 to 6

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Pumpkin Apple Muffins



Pumpkin Apple Spice Muffins
from Melissa F.

Yield: 2 dozen

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice**
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and finely chopped

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice**
3 tablespoons sugar

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Combine pumpkin, butter, and eggs in another bowl and add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Fold in chopped apple and spoon into greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Combine 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; sprinkle evenly over muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from pans immediately, and cool on wire racks.

**My tip: if you don't have pumpkin pie spice, use the following combination: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger and 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon cloves. Mix together and woila! - you have the equivalent of 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (and it is much cheaper than buying it premade).

Corn Bread & Honey Butter

Cornbread2JPG.jpg

½ cup cornmeal
1 ½ cup flour
2/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¼ cup milk

Add dry ingredients, make a well and add oil, butter, eggs, and milk into the center. Stir until just mixed (batter will be runny - don't be alarmed!). Bake in an 8” square pan at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. This doubles perfectly for a 9X13-inch pan.

Honey Butter:
2 sticks butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

Whip all together with an electric mixer and serve at room temperature (can be refrigerated and softened).

Spaghetti Sauce



Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Printable Version

*I've never measured how many cups of spaghetti sauce this makes, but it easily feeds my family of two adults and three children with more than enough to freeze for another meal of spaghetti or lasagna*

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, chopped and divided
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
2 pounds hamburger (at least 90% lean)
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 12 oz. can tomato paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons dried oregano
3 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 14-oz. can Italian-style diced tomatoes
2 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 carton fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 1/2 cups beef stock or beef broth
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add 1/2 of the onions and saute until translucent and slightly browned. Add garlic and stir constantly for 1 minute. Add beef and cook until no red is showing. Drain beef slightly. Blend up the remaining onions and red pepper in a blender or food processor until mostly smooth. Add mixture to the garlic, onions and beef and stir to combine, cooking for another minute. Add tomato paste and spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring until combined. Add tomatoes, beef broth and sugar (and mushrooms, if using). Stir until combined and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil and then reduce to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Fifteen minutes before serving, stir in the balsamic vinegar.

NOTE: The sauce will seem watery at first but will reduce to perfection after simmering for an hour. I've let it simmer on the stove for up to three hours before with no problems.

Courtesy of My Kitchen Cafe

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Peanut Chicken Kabobs

1 cup cream of coconut ( I used coconut milk, don't know if that is the same thing)
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper ( I did about 1 tablespoon)

In bowl, combine marinade ingredients until well blended.  Slice chicken into 3/4 inch strips.  Place in marinade and stir until well coated.  Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or up to 24 hours ( or during church!).  Skewer chicken on thin wooden skewers.  Broil or grill chicken over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.  Serve over rice with peanut sauce.

Peanut Sauce:  ( I didn't try so tell me if it's good)
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
 2/3 cup water
 1/4 cup soy sauce
 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Blend ingredients together in small bowl.

-Nicole Gneiting

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Slow-Cooker Pulled-Pork (or Beef) Tacos


Kan Kanbayashi
Serves 6Hands-On Time: 15mTotal Time: 8hr 30m

Ingredients

  • 2 cups store-bought salsa, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • kosher salt
  • 1 2 1/2-pound boneless pork butt or shoulder, trimmed of excess fat (or Beef Roast)
  • 18 corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

  1. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the salsa, chili powder, oregano, cocoa, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the pork and turn to coat.
  2. Cook, covered, until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily, on high for 4 to 5 hours or on low for 7 to 8 hours.
  3. Twenty minutes before serving, heat oven to 350° F.
  4. Stack the tortillas, wrap them in foil, and bake until warm, about 15 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile, using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir into the cooking liquid. Serve with the tortillas, cilantro, sour cream, lime, and extra salsa.
By Allison Fishman,  February 2009. Real Simple

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Spicy Orange-Glazed Drumsticks


Jose Picayo
Serves 4Hands-On Time: 15mTotal Time: 45m

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup orange marmalade
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce (found in the Asian section of the supermarket)
  • 8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 1/2 pounds)
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1 pound green beans
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 4 corn bread muffins, warmed

Directions

  1. Heat oven to 400º F. In a small bowl, mix the marmalade and chili-garlic sauce.
  2. Season the chicken with 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper. Roast on a foil-lined baking sheet until cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes, brushing with the marmalade mixture during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
  3. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the green beans until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and toss with the butter and 1⁄/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Serve with the chicken and muffins.