Friday, May 8, 2009

Brown Sugar Chicken

Ingredients:

1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup vinegar
14 cup lemon-lime soda
2-3 tsp garlic, minced
2 Tb soy sauce
1 tsp pepper
4-6 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

Method:

Place chicken in the bottom of the crock pot. Mix together all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook for 4-6 hours or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve over rice.

*if you don't want this to be a slow cook meal, brown chicken in skillet. Combine other ingredients in skillet and allow to simmer until reduced to a sauce*

Soy-Glazed Flank Steak

Ingredients:

1/4 cups soy sauce
2 Tb mirin (rice wine~ can substitute white wine with some added sugar or sugar water)
1 Tb rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp crushed red-pepper flakes
1 Tb safflower oil
1 Flank Steak (1 1/4 Lb)
2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Method:

Bring soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and red-pepper flakes to a boil in a saucepan on high heat. Reduce heat; simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.

Heat a skillet over high heat; add oil. Season steak all over with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes on each side. Reduce heat to medium, and brush top of steak with some glaze; flip, and cook for 1 minute. Brush with remaining glaze, flip, and cook for 1 minute more. Transfer steak to a cutting board; let rest for 5 minutes. Slice steak against the grain into 1/8 inch-thick strips, and serve on top of alongside spring green salad or baked potato.

Double Chocolate Mousse Tarts

Ingredients:

Tarts:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels
3 packages (15 count) frozen tarts (you can also use 10 waffle bowls)

Mousse:
1/2 cup white chocolate morsels
1 cup cold milk
1 package (3.3 oz) white chocolate instant pudding
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping~thawed
3 Tb sliced almonds, toasted and chopped
1 container berries (blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries)

Method:

For Tarts: Melt semi-sweet morsels in microwave on High 90-120 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring every 15 seconds. Swirl chocolate around tart shell using basting brush to fill in the bottom of the shell.

For Mousse: Melt white chocolate in microwave for 60-90 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring every 15 seconds. Combine milk and pudding mix in bowl and whisk until thickened, then add melted white chocolate. Whisk until smooth, Fold in whipped topping.

To assemble tarts, spoon mousse into gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Cut corner of bag with scissors. Using circular motion, pipe mousse evenly into tart cups. Sprinkle mousse with almonds and top with berries.

*To Toast Almonds: Layer sliced almonds on a baking tray and bake in 350 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown*

Bubbly Fruit Punch

Ingredients:

6 oz Frozen Pink Lemonade
6 oz Frozen Pineapple Juice Concentrate
8 cups Cranberry Juice
1 liter Cranberry Ginger Ale (I used regular because I couldn't find it)
2 cups crushed ice
1 cup various berried (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)
2 lemons, sliced (for garnish)

Method:

Mix pink lemonade, pineapple juice, and cranberry juice. Add ice and berries then slowly pour in the ginger ale. Garnish with lemon slices and extra berries.

Fluff Dip for Fruit

Ingredients:

2 (3 oz) package instant Vanilla Pudding mix
1 cup milk
1 (16 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Method:

Mix together vanilla pudding mix and milk. Beat in thawed frozen whipped topping. Chill 1 hour in refrigerator before serving.

Great with pineapple, berries, grapes, apples and bananas

Easy Chocolate Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

1 package cream cheese~ softened
1/4 cup chocolate syrup
1 jar marshmallow cream (7 oz)

Method:

Use mixer to beat together cream cheese and chocolate syrup then fold in the marshmallow cream. Chill at least 1 hr before serving.

Great with pineapple, grapes, and berries

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients:

1/4 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves (I use less), chopped
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (28 oz) enchilada sauce
12 (6 in.) corn tortillas (I use flour)
3 cups diced or shredded cooked chicken (can also substitute ground beef seasoned with taco seasoning)

Method:

Combine softened cream cheese, cilantro, and 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese~ mix well. Spread 2/3 cup of enchilada sauce over bottom of dish. Pour remaining sauce into mixing bowl and set aside.

To assemble lasagna, dip four tortillas into enchilada sauce in bowl and arrange over sauce in baker, overlapping as necessary. Scoop half of the cream cheese mixture over tortillas and spread. Top with 1 cup of chicken/beef and 1/3 of onion. Repeat layers one time. Dip remaining four tortillas into sauce and arrange over second layer. Top with remaining chicken and onion. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over lasagna and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese.

Microwave: covered on high 12-15 minutes, or until center is hot. Let stand 10 minutes.

Oven: bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until center is hot. Let stand 10 minutes.