This is my variation of a recipe I found in a magazine a couple years ago. It's a great breakfast treat, best served warm. Every time I've made it it's been a huge hit.
1/2 cup butter, softened
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
Optional: 2 green apples, chopped into small cubes
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a round springform pan and set aside.
In a large bowl beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar and vanilla and beat until mixed. Add eggs one a time, beating after each addition.
In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and 2 tsp. cinnamon. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture slowly, until well mixed. The batter should be smooth. If using apples, add to the batter. Pour batter into springform pan.
Mix remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over top of cake.
Bake for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Enchilada Bake
The first time I made this, Chris decided it was "really good but it feels like someone chewed my enchiladas for me". I know that probably turns you off, but trust me it's good. This is my slight variation on a recipe from my pal Karen.
2 8 oz cans cans El Pato tomato sauce*
6-8 taco size corn tortillas
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 small onion, diced
1 4 oz. diced olives
Cube and cook chicken (or use shredded rotiserrie chicken or canned if you want to make it easier). Cut tortillas into slices about 1" thick.
Pour half of a can of tomato sauce into the bottom of an 11x7 baking dish. Top with tortillas, half of the chicken, olives and chilies, and one-third of the cheese and onions. Repeat layers, until your top layer is tomato sauce, cheese and onions.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave for 10 minutes. While it microwaves, preheat your oven to 400. After microwaving, replace plastic wrap with foil and bake for 10 minutes.
Serve topped with sour cream, salsa or whatever floats your boat.
*El Pato tomato sauce is spicy. For a less spicy dish, combine El Pato tomato sauce with plain tomato sauce. Don't just use plain tomato sauce however, El Pato is seasoned and the flavor would not work well with plain tomato sauce lacking that seasoning.
2 8 oz cans cans El Pato tomato sauce*
6-8 taco size corn tortillas
1 4 oz. can diced green chilies
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 small onion, diced
1 4 oz. diced olives
Cube and cook chicken (or use shredded rotiserrie chicken or canned if you want to make it easier). Cut tortillas into slices about 1" thick.
Pour half of a can of tomato sauce into the bottom of an 11x7 baking dish. Top with tortillas, half of the chicken, olives and chilies, and one-third of the cheese and onions. Repeat layers, until your top layer is tomato sauce, cheese and onions.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave for 10 minutes. While it microwaves, preheat your oven to 400. After microwaving, replace plastic wrap with foil and bake for 10 minutes.
Serve topped with sour cream, salsa or whatever floats your boat.
*El Pato tomato sauce is spicy. For a less spicy dish, combine El Pato tomato sauce with plain tomato sauce. Don't just use plain tomato sauce however, El Pato is seasoned and the flavor would not work well with plain tomato sauce lacking that seasoning.
Macaroni and Cheese
This is my slight variation of a recipe I found on the back of a can of condensed milk. It was staring at me from the shelf for months before I gave in...I wish I had done it sooner.
2.5 cups large elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 heaping cups shredded pepper-jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 14 oz can evaporated milk
Bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper
1-2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli, optional
Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles. If adding broccoli, add broccoli to the noodles during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.
Cut chicken into cubes and generously season with salt and pepper. Cook seasoned chicken in a skillet over medium heat until done.
Mix chicken, noodles, broccoli, milk, cheeses (except 1/4 cup parmesan) and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Pour into a lightly greased 3 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes.
2.5 cups large elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 heaping cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 heaping cups shredded pepper-jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 14 oz can evaporated milk
Bread crumbs
Salt
Pepper
1-2 cups fresh or frozen broccoli, optional
Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles. If adding broccoli, add broccoli to the noodles during the last 3-4 minutes of cooking.
Cut chicken into cubes and generously season with salt and pepper. Cook seasoned chicken in a skillet over medium heat until done.
Mix chicken, noodles, broccoli, milk, cheeses (except 1/4 cup parmesan) and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large bowl. Pour into a lightly greased 3 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and bread crumbs. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Lime Tequila Chicken Fajitas
I got this recipe off the box of a cooking set I was given as a gift a few years ago. It's very worth the wait.
Marinade
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. tobasco sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup tequila
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup water
Fajitas
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1.5 lbs chicken, cut into strips
2 limes, quartered
2 yellow squash, sliced
1 purple onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
Mix all marinade ingredients and marinade chicken for at least 2-3 hours.
Heat oil in a frying pan or wok. I know it's goofy but I love cooking fajitas in my wok. It works perfectly! Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Cook chicken until done and remove from pan - place in a heated dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Add vegetables to pan and cook until tender. Remove vegetables and place with chicken. Add marinade to the pan and cook until heated through, to kill any bacteria from the raw chicken. Add chicken and vegetables back to the pan and mix with marinade.
Serve in tortillas with cheese, sour cream, salsa or whatever else floats your boat.
Marinade
1 tsp. cocoa powder
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. tobasco sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup tequila
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup lime juice
2 tbsp. sugar
4 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup water
Fajitas
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1.5 lbs chicken, cut into strips
2 limes, quartered
2 yellow squash, sliced
1 purple onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
Mix all marinade ingredients and marinade chicken for at least 2-3 hours.
Heat oil in a frying pan or wok. I know it's goofy but I love cooking fajitas in my wok. It works perfectly! Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Cook chicken until done and remove from pan - place in a heated dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Add vegetables to pan and cook until tender. Remove vegetables and place with chicken. Add marinade to the pan and cook until heated through, to kill any bacteria from the raw chicken. Add chicken and vegetables back to the pan and mix with marinade.
Serve in tortillas with cheese, sour cream, salsa or whatever else floats your boat.
Honey Orange Chicken
This is an awesome, easy weekday dinner meat.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 very large orange
3 scallions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. soy sauce
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut orange in half and juice half the orange. You need 4 tbsp. orange juice. Chop the remaining half of the orange into bite size pieces.
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for about 1 minute, until onion just starts to soften. Add the honey, soy sauce and orange juice. Stir until honey dissolves and let cook for about five minutes.
Place chicken in an oven proof dish. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until chicken is done. Occasionally baste the top of the chicken with the sauce from the dish.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 very large orange
3 scallions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. honey
2 tbsp. soy sauce
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut orange in half and juice half the orange. You need 4 tbsp. orange juice. Chop the remaining half of the orange into bite size pieces.
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan, over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic for about 1 minute, until onion just starts to soften. Add the honey, soy sauce and orange juice. Stir until honey dissolves and let cook for about five minutes.
Place chicken in an oven proof dish. Pour sauce over chicken. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes, until chicken is done. Occasionally baste the top of the chicken with the sauce from the dish.
Spanish Rice
This is another old family recipe I've been able to get my hands on. I've made some slight modifications to it based on what I usually have on hand in my kitchen. The original recipe is from Vallejo's restaurant in Sacramento, it was published in the newspaper and someone in the family was fortunate enough to grab it.
1 cup rice, uncooked
2 tbsp. canola oil
1/3 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato sauce*
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. salt
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice is golden brown. Add onion and garlic and cook for another minute. Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
*I like to use El Pato brand tomato sauce, which is spicy. Sometimes I'll also chop up a fresh jalapeno and toss it in with the onion and garlic.
The original Spanish rice recipe calls for lard instead of oil, and 2 chicken bullion cubes and 2 1/2 cups water rather than chicken stock.
1 cup rice, uncooked
2 tbsp. canola oil
1/3 cup minced onion
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup tomato sauce*
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. salt
In a frying pan, heat oil over medium heat and add rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice is golden brown. Add onion and garlic and cook for another minute. Add remaining ingredients, stir, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is tender.
*I like to use El Pato brand tomato sauce, which is spicy. Sometimes I'll also chop up a fresh jalapeno and toss it in with the onion and garlic.
The original Spanish rice recipe calls for lard instead of oil, and 2 chicken bullion cubes and 2 1/2 cups water rather than chicken stock.
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