Rugelach

Rugelach is a traditional Jewish food that is eaten any time of year, including, but not limited to Shabbat.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour 
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1 tablespoon and 1-1/2 teaspoons orange marmalade (optional)
• 1/2 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Combine cottage cheese and 1 cup of butter in a bowl. Mix thoroughly, then gradually stir in the flour. Dough will be sticky. Divide dough into thirds and wrap with waxed paper. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
3. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup of butter with the brown sugar, cinnamon, pecans, and raisins. Set aside. Roll one ball of dough at a time to a 9 inch circle on a floured surface, while keeping the remaining dough chilled. Cut the circle into wedges.  Spread 1 tablespoon of the optional orange marmalade over the circle. Gently press 1/3 of the nut mixture into the dough.  Roll each wedge tightly, starting with the wide end. Place the cookie point-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Beat the egg white with the water in a small bowl, then brush the mixture onto each cookie.
4. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes.

Homemade Orange Marmalade

Very easy recipe! 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Oranges
• 1 cup of sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Slice oranges into eight slices getting rid of stems and unwanted white membrane pieces.  Put oranges in a food processor and process until mush.  Add sugar and pulse to mix. 
Place mixture in an uncapped glass container (a clean glass jar works great if you've kept the lid) and place in microwave. Cook on high for 2 minutes. Stir, and cook for another minute. Stir again.
Watch carefully so the marmalade doesn't scorch or boil over and microwave for 1 minute more. Repeat a 4th time. Cool, then cap and store in the fridge.

Creamy Macaroni and Cheese courtesy of Paula Deen

This recipe is supposed to be for 12 servings,  but I adjusted the ingredients for 6 servings. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni 
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 5 ounces grated sharp Cheddar Cheese  
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 can condensed Cheddar cheese soup
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Boil the macaroni in a 2 quart saucepan in plenty of water until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. In a medium saucepan mix butter and cheese soup. Stir until the cheese melts. In a slow cooker, combine cheese/butter mixture and sour cream, grated cheese, salt, milk, mustard and pepper and stir well. Then add drained macaroni and stir again. Set the slow cooker on low setting and cook for 30-45 mins, stirring occasionally.  I added more milk right before serving to have it nice and gooey!

Slow Cooker Carnitas

Watch out!  This will make your place smell delicious :-)

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (4 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken broth

Directions

1. Mix together salt, garlic powder, cumin, oregano and cinnamon in a bowl. Coat pork with the spice mixture. Place the bay leaves in the bottom of a slow cooker and place the pork on top. Pour the chicken broth around the sides of the pork, being careful not to rinse off the spice mixture.
2. Cover and cook on Low until the pork shreds easily with a fork, about 10 hours. Turn the meat after it has cooked for 5 hours. When the pork is tender, remove from slow cooker, and shred with two forks. Use cooking liquid as needed to moisten the meat.  I also then put on a baking sheet and placed in oven on 300 degrees to get it to a kind of crispy texture and bake in the yummy juices! 

Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Not a cottage cheese fan but you can't even taste it, a true comfort dish!

Ingredients

• 1-¼ pound Ground Chuck
• 1 can 15-ounces Tomato Sauce
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 8 ounces, weight Egg Noodles
• ½ cups Sour Cream
• 1-¼ cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• ½ cups Sliced Green Onions (less To Taste)
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown ground chuck in a large skillet. Drain fat, then add tomato sauce. 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Stir, then simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.
Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper. Add to noodles and stir. Add green onions and stir.
To assemble, add half of the noodles to a baking dish. Top with half the meat mixture, then sprinkle on half the grated cheddar. Repeat with noodles, meat, then a final layer of cheese. Bake for 20 minutes, or until all cheese is melted.
Serve with crusty French bread.

Chicken Flautas with Avocado Cream

Excited to try our new deep fryer!

For the Flautas:

• Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar/Monterey jack blend
• 1 lime, juiced
• Salt
• 12 (5 to 6-inch) Flour torillas

For the Avocado Cream:

• 1 very ripe avocado, halved, pitted and flesh removed
• 1 (4-ounce) container sour cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• Salt

Directions

Special equipment: toothpicks

Fill a large pot with enough oil to reach 2 inches up the side of the pan. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reads 375 degrees F. To make the flautas: In a pan over medium heat melt butter and saute onions and jalapenos until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and cayenne pepper and cook until fragrant, another 2 minutes. Add chicken and salsa; stir to combine. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro, cheese and lime juice. Let cool slightly.

Working with 4 tortillas at a time, spread a heaping spoonful along the middle of each tortilla. Roll tortilla tightly around the filling and secure with a toothpick. Using tongs, hold each flauta in hot oil until firm, then release to continue cooking. Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes, then remove to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with salt.

To make the Avocado Cream: In a serving bowl, mash avocado, sour cream and lime juice until smooth. Season with salt, to taste.  I didn't mash mine up very well. 

One of my Must-Have items in the Kitchen

I think my Mom gave me this chopper as a gift a while back.  I love this thing, I use it to chop and shred almost anything!  Great for shredding cooked chicken, dicing tomatoes, chopping up onions, etc.


http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/veggiechop-vegetable-chopper/

Tomatillo Salsa Verde

My tummy doesn't agree with Tomatillo's but Brian loved the sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 pound tomatillos, husked
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 serrano chile peppers, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 2 cups water

Directions

1. Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chile pepper into a saucepan. Season with cilantro, oregano, cumin, and salt; pour in water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatillos are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Using a blender, carefully puree the tomatillos and water in batches until smooth.

 Amount Per Serving  Calories: 24 | Total Fat: 0.6g | Cholesterol: 0mg

Pork Empanadas

Ingredients

• 1 pound pork butt roast
• 1/2 onion, quartered
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 bay leaf
• homemade tomatillo salsa (see recipe on blog)
• 1 pkg. Goya frozen discos for empanadas

Directions

1. To make the filling: Place pork in a large pot and cover with water. Add onion, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). After the pork has simmered for 1 1/2 hours remove from liquid. Place pork in a baking dish and bake for 1 hour or until meat shreds easily with fork. Remove from oven and shred into small pieces. Add salsa to shredded pork.
3. Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of filling in the center of each disc. Brush edges of disc with milk. Fold disc over filling. Pinch edges together. Crimp with fork to seal.
4. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Remove to rack and cool for about 5 minutes. Serve warm.

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 209 | Total Fat: 12.6g | Cholesterol: 42mg

Shrimp Louisiane

INGREDIENTS

·         2 Slices of white bread, cubed

·         ¼ cup of milk

·         1 cup chopped onion

·         ¾ cup chopped bell pepper

·         1 clove of garlic, minced

·         2 tbsp. butter

·         1-2 lbs. shrimp

·         1 can cream of mushroom soup

·         3 cups cooked rice

·         1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes

·         1 ½ tbsp. lemon juice

·         1 ½ tsp. salt

·         ¼ tsp. pepper

·         Paprika

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Soak bread cubes in milk.  In a large saucepan, sauté onion, bell pepper and garlic in butter until crisp-tender.  Add shrimp and cook for 3 minutes longer or until pink.  Stir in soup, rice, parsley, lemon juice and seasonings.  Add soaked bread and mix well.  Spoon into greased 2 quart casserole; sprinkle with paprika.  Bake for 30-45 minutes.  Serves 6.

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 589 | Total Fat: 9.3g | Cholesterol: 306mg

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake

 This recipe came from The Taste of Home magazine my Mom gave me a subscription for :-)

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-3/4 cups crushed gingersnap cookies (about 35 cookies)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted

FILLING:

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup 2% milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 can (13.4 ounces) dulce de leche

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder

 Directions

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. In a large bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, walnuts, sugar, cinnamon and butter. Press onto the bottom and 2 in. up the sides of prepared pan.
• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the milk, flour and vanilla. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into crust.
• Pour dulce de leche into a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at 50% power until softened. Drop dulce de leche by tablespoonfuls over batter; cut through batter with a knife to swirl.
• Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.
• In a microwave, melt chips; stir until smooth. Stir in chili powder. Spread over cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. Remove sides of pan. Yield: 16 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 slice equals 468 calories, 28 g fat (16 g saturated fat), 104 mg cholesterol, 327 mg sodium, 50 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 8 g protein

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

 A great, quick and easy recipe.







Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and salt. Mix well and set aside.
3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 225 | Total Fat: 12.8g | Cholesterol: 63mg

Open-Faced Chicken Bruschetta on Garlic Bread

This is a favorite of ours.  I love using the HEB fresh chopped mix, adds more flavor to me. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 3-4 Chicken Breasts, finely chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1/2 cup dried basil, chopped
• 1/2-1 cup HEB fresh veggie creole mix (green onions, bell peppers, onions, garlic, pepper)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
• Pepper, to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 loaf regular crusty Italian bread, sliced
• Crumbled feta cheese
• Basil for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. In a medium bowl combine chicken, tomatoes, basil, green onion mix, 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinaigrette and pepper to taste. Allow flavors to blend for about 15 minutes.
2. Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil with garlic. Brush olive oil-garlic mixture on both sides of bread. On a baking sheet, toast bread in the oven, about 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned and crisp.
3. To serve, spread chicken mixture over toasted garlic bread. Top with feta cheese and basil.

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 289 | Total Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 52mg

Sesame Beef Stir-Fry

Beef Marinating...



Ingredients

• 1 pound round steak
• 8 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons white sugar
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 4 tablespoons sesame oil



Viola....finished product



Fried Rice

1 tablespoon oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 (16 ounce) package frozen stir-fry vegetables, thawed
Drained sauce mixture from meat
2 cups Minute® White Rice, uncooked

Directions

1. Mix sauce, sugar, oil, garlic, and onions in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Cut steak into strips and add to bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 30 minutes.
3. Cook in wok or frying pan until brown (I added a little cornstarch to mine), about 5 minutes.  Cover and remove from pan.
4. Add eggs; cook until set, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan.
5. Add broth, vegetables and soy sauce to pan; bring to boil. Stir in rice; cover. Remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.
6. Stir in cooked eggs & meat. Serve immediately.