Chimichanga's

• I ~heart~ my food network mag. I am sure that those of you who read my blog often are used to hearing that. My hubbs and I were looking for a real mexican dinner, and this was it! Every bite of this meal was packed with flavor.
  
  Chimichangas
  Printable Version
  
  
  2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  4 tablespoons vegetable oil   
  1 white onion, chopped
  3 cloves garlic, chopped
  1 jalapeno pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
  1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  salt
  1 small tomato, chopped, plus more for topping
  2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  2 1/2 cups shredded chicken
  1/4 cup sour cream
  1 15-ounce can refried beans
  4 10-inch flour tortillas
  1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, plus more for topping
  shredded lettuce, for topping
  
  Mexi-sauce
  ½ cup chopped onion
  2 chopped garlic cloves
  chili powder
  cumin
  sugar
  salt
  8 ounces chopped green chilies, drained
  1 cup chicken broth
  ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  Shredded lettuce, for topping
  Mexican rice, for serving
  
  Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Melt the butter with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet; transfer to a bowl. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeno and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt; toast 30 seconds. Add the tomato and cilantro and cook until slightly dry, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken and sour cream and warm through. Remove from the heat.
  
  Brush a rimmed baking sheet with some of the butter-oil mixture. Spread 2 tablespoons refried beans down the center of each tortilla, leaving a 2-inch border on both ends. Top with 1 cup chicken mixture and 1/4 cup cheese. Fold in the ends and roll up.
  Put the chimichangas seam-side down on the baking sheet; brush with the butter-oil mixture. Bake 8 to 10 minutes per side, brushing again after you flip. Top with the sauce, more cheese, lettuce and tomato. Serve with rice and the remaining beans.
  
  Make Chi-Chi's Mexi-sauce:
  Saute onion and garlic cloves in a skillet with vegetable oil. Add a pinch each of chili powder, cumin, sugar and salt; cook 30 seconds. Stir two cans chopped green chilies, cook 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and simmer until thickened, then puree. Stir in cilantro. Top chimichangas with Mexi-sauce.
  Serves 4.

Pumpkin Dump Cake

This was first introduced to me by my friend, Teddy. I about fell over...after eating half of the pan. Pumpkin is one of my favorite flavors, and add in the perfect crisp of the cake topper and it is perfecto! I have made this with both yellow or white cake, and each is equally desirable! O yum...I love the fall...can't wait to make this again.

Pumpkin Dump Cake
Printable Version

1 large 29 oz can pumpkin
1 cup milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup butter
1 box yellow cake mix

Mix all ingredients except butter and cake mix in a bowl.  Pour mixture into a 9" by 13" cake pan. Sprinkle yellow cake mix over pumpkin mixture. Melt butter and pour over yellow cake. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. 


Serves 12-15

Penne with Vodka Sauce

Thank you to my friends for providing me with the 1/2 cup of vodka that I needed so that I didn't have to purchase any! Unfortunately, I will be having to purchase some in the near future; this meal is now a #1 meal in our house. Easy and O SO TASTY! There is a little sting from the vodka after a creamy, tomato sauce and fresh basil flavor. We love it, ate every bite, and wanted more.

Penne with Vodka Sauce
Printable Version
Kosher salt
12 ounces whole-wheat penne
1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup vodka
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for topping
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain the pasta. Empty the tomatoes into a bowl and crush with your hands.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the vodka, tomatoes and salt to taste. Return the skillet to medium heat and simmer, stirring often, until the alcohol cooks off, about 7 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and basil.
Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine, adding some of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed. Season with salt. Serve topped with more parmesan and basil.
Serves 3.

Neighbor Gifts

Ahh...the yearly neighbor gifts. I can never decide if it is a screaming AHHH or an enjoyable one. It is always such a hard decision to know what to give so many of my fun neighbors. It sure doesn't help that they are all way too creative and end up giving me delicious, cute treats. This year I did Minty Melting Delights...Homemade hot cocoa with Keebler Grasshopper cookies. It was a hit! I attached the note below the picture and people loved it!

Melt In Your Mouth Cookies

Gather your family for a special treat...

Be prepared to get a little messy!

Take one mint cookie and take a small bite off each end.

Use the cookie as a straw to sip the hot cocoa...

As soon as the hot cocoa touches your tounge, POP the

cookie in your mouth and enjoy a Minty Melting Delight!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I am so excited...Cody liked this soup! He said that it counted as a 'real meal' because it was actually filling, unlike the normal soups that I make....anyway...My best friend Ali fed me this soup and I am so glad that she did! This is delicious, FILLING, and easy. A perfect meal to make for a large group. MMM I want to make it again right now...it is cold and snowy and this looks yummy!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Printable Version

2 boxes uncle ben's wild rice, cooked (I found bags that you put in the microwave for 90 sec- much quicker!)
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup cream
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
Saute veggies in butter. Add flour and stir for 30 seconds. Add broth and parsley flakes. Stir until thickened, then add rice, cream and chicken. Cook five minutes prior to serving. Add additional milk if too thick.

Recipe from Ali

Serves 8.

Chick Fil'A Sands

I am not a big fast-food fan. We can probably count the number of times we have eaten fast food in the past 4 years, and it is meager. One time however, we ate a a Chick Fil'A. So good. Like so so good. So, when food network magazine (aka my new favorite past time) published this recipe I had to give it a shot. Yum! Talk about a great chicken sandwich. This was a classic.

Chick Fil'A Sands
Printable Version

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dill pickle juice
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
oil, for frying
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon malted milk powder
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1 sour pickle cut into 8 slices, plus 1 tablespoon pickle juice from the jar
2 teaspoons white vinegar
4 soft hamburger buns, split
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened

Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 thin cutlets. Place the cutlets between 2 pieces of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to 1/8-inch thick with a mallet or heavy skillet.
Whisk together egg, milk and pickle juice, and pour into a large ziplock bag or bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

Heat about 2 inches oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until a deep fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F. Meanwhile, whisk both flours, the malted milk powder, confectioners sugar, baking soda, dry mustard, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper in another dish. Toss the pickle slices, pickle juice and vinegar in a bowl and set aside.
Working in batches, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and shake off any excess. Fry the chicken in the hot oil until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side, adjusting the heat as needed. Drain on paper towels.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Spread the cut sides of the buns with some of the butter and lightly toast in the skillet, buttered-side down; spread with more butter. Put 2 pickle slices on each bun bottom; top with a piece of chicken and cover with the bun tops.

Recipe adapted from Food Network Mag
Serves 2.

Curried Sweet Potato Apple Soup

It is soup time again! I wish I could eat soup every day of forever...okay, so maybe not on humid 100 degree days in Nebraska, but any day under 40. We ate this soup for a girls lunch and it was more than perfect. Smooth sweet flavor of apples and sweet potato and a little kick from the curry equals one delicious eat-once-a-week-in-the-winter SOUP!

Curried Sweet Potato Apple Soup
Printable Version


3 medium sweet potatoes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish
1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups chunky applesauce
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Peel and dice 2 1/2 sweet potatoes. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, nutmeg, 1 1/4 teaspoons curry powder, and salt and pepper to taste and cook until toasted, 1 more minute.
Add the diced sweet potatoes, chicken broth and 2 cups water to the pot, cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the applesauce. Simmer, covered, until the sweet potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Puree the soup with a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper; keep warm.
Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon curry powder and cook, stirring, until browned; remove from the heat and add the vinegar. Top with the curry butter and cilantro.

Recipe from Food Network Mag
Serves 4