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Jun 30, 2011

Sweet & Sticky drumsticks


Sweet and Sticky Chicken Drumsticks

½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup honey
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup soy sauce
5 fresh rosemary sprigs
5 garlic cloves, halved
10-12 chicken drumsticks
2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Combine balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs, & garlic cloves in large bag. Shake & squeeze contents of bag to dissolve honey and brown sugar. Add drumsticks to bag & seal, squeezing out all the air, Marinate at least 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 450. Line baking sheet with foil. Remove chicken from bag, reserve the marinade, and arrange on baking dish. Bake until skin is carmelized, 30-35 minutes.
Meanwhile, place marinade in small saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat & simmer & cook on low heat, 15 minutes.
Use pastry brush to brush some of the cooked marinade on the cooked chicken. Place the chicken on a serving platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds & chopped parsley. 

Jun 28, 2011

Cheesy Chile Chicken


Cheesy Chile Chicken

4 (6oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
¼ tsp ground red pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
2 tsp EVOO
1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chiles
½ cup shredded Monterey-jack cheese

Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap & pound to ½ inch thickness.
 Combine salt & next 4 ingredients; sprinkle over chicken.
Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Add chicken, cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove pan from heat; top chicken with chiles & cheese.

 Cover & let stand 2 minutes or until cheese melts.





Jun 27, 2011

Jamaican Chicken with Mango Salsa


Jamaican Chicken with Mango Salsa

 ½ tsp Jamaican jerk seasoning (Spice Islands)
½ tsp salt, divided
4 (6oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
cooking spray
¼ cup minced fresh cilantro
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp fresh lime juice
¼ tso pepper
¼ tsp crushed red pepper
1 (16 oz.) jar sliced peeled mango, drained & chopped (DelMonte SunFresh)


Heat a large skillet over med-high heat. Sprinkle seasoning & ¼ tsp salt evenly over chicken. 

Coat chicken with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan, cook 4 minutes on each side.
While chicken cooks, combine ¼ tsp salt, cilantro, & remaining ingredients. Serve salsa with chicken.



Jun 17, 2011

Chipotle Beef Sandwiches



Chipotle Beef Sandwiches

*Crock Pot recipe*
This was a very different recipe for me, I am branching! We got some great ciabatta rolls for these & it totally made them even better! 


1 large sweet onion, halved & thinly sliced
1 beef sirloin tip roast (3 pounds)
1 jar (16 oz.) chipotle salsa
½ cup beer or nonalcoholic beer
1 envelope beefy onion soup mix
10 kaiser or ciabatta rolls, split

Place onion in a 5 qt. slow cooker. Cut roast in half, place over onion. Combine salsa, beer & soup mix. Pour over top. Cover & cook  on low 7-8 hours.


Remove roast. Shred the meat with 2 forks & return to slow cooker. Heat through. Using slotted spoon, spoon shredded meat onto each roll. 







Jun 16, 2011

Corn Pudding


Corn Pudding

So I love corn, cornbread, all of it!
I found this recipe for a great side dish of corn pudding & it is super simple to make. I really enjoyed it, especially drizzled with a little honey!

1 box Jiffy corn mix
1 can creamed corn
1 can corn, drained
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
½ stick butter, melted


Mix ingredients & put into greased ceramic or other serving dish-
This will make enough for a 9X9 or 9X13 or a nice oval dish.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Jun 15, 2011

Cuban Ropa Vieja


Cuban Ropa Vieja

So I got Eva Longoria's new cookbook, Eva's Kitchen, and let me tell you that it is amazing! I rarely buy cookbooks, but this one is a must! I am so excited to make a lot more Mexican dishes now. Here is my first one & it is sooooo good! This recipe will make your entire house smell so amazing, just like a Mexican kitchen!

Ropa Vieja translates to old clothes, which is what this shredded meat brings to mind. This is a simple recipe that you just throw in the crock pot!  You can also halve the recipe like I did, because the original recipe makes enough to feed 8-10 people. Serve with some flour tortillas & you could do rice, pinto or black beans on the side!

You will need:
2 1/2 pounds beef flank steak
6 Tbsp ground cumin
4 Tbsp EVOO 
2 cups beef broth
(2) 8-ounce can's tomato sauce
(2) 6-ounce can's tomato paste
2 Tbsp distilled vinegar
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded & sliced into 1/2 inch strips
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded & sliced into 1/2 inch strips
1 bunch cilantro, leaves chopped

To make:
Rub the steak with 3 Tbsp cumin on both sides. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp EVOO over med-high heat. Add steak & cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to Crock Pot.

In large mixing bowl, mix together the broth, tomato sauce, paste, vinegar, garlic, salt, & remaining 3 Tbsp cumin. Then add the remaining 2 Tbsp EVOO. Stir well. Then add onion, bell peppers, & cilantro. Stir again & pour mixture over steak in crock pot.

Cook on high 4 hours or low up to 10 hours. The meat is ready when it falls apart when pierced with a fork. Use 2 forks to shred the meat. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Then serve inside flour tortillas, use some white rice to soak up the yummy juices, serve with a side or refried or black beans!
Enjoy! 


Jun 14, 2011

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chipotle Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 ½ tsp bottled minced garlic
¾ pound chicken breast tenders, cut into bite sized pieces
1 tsp chipotle chile powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup water
¼ tsp salt
1 (14 oz.) can chicken broth
1 (14.5 oz.) can stewed tomatoes, undrained
1 cup crushed baked tortilla chips
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Heat oil in large saucepan over med-high heat
Add minced garlic & chicken; sauté 2 minutes. Add chile powder & cumin; stir well. Add water, salt, broth, & tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, & simmer 5 minutes. Top each serving with tortilla chips & cilantro & serve with lime wedge.

Jun 13, 2011

pot roast

Flavorful Pot Roast

2 boneless beef chuck roast (2 ½ pounds each)
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope brown gravy mix
½ cup water


My husband was thrilled that I made this dish, he couldn't stop raving about how good it was! I liked the fact that it was SO simple! I just threw it in the crock pot and let it go! I made mine with baked potatoes & steamed carrots.

Place chuck roasts in 5 qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing & gravy mixes; stir in water. Pour over meat. Cover & cook on low 7-8 hours or until tender. If desired, thicken cooking juices for gravy.