MINI girl

Quick Chicken Enchiladas

I needed a quick and easy dinner for my step-daughter and I, and I happened to have these ingredients on hand. It came together very quickly we both enjoyed it. You can add more chili powder if you like more spice; this is fairly mild to suit a 13-year-old's taste. :)

Ingredients:

Sauce:

1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp self-rising flour
1 - 2 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp onion powder
Kosher salt, to taste 

For Assembly:

2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed
4 - 6 flour tortillas
1 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese 

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400F.
2. Heat butter and oil in a saucepan or skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour, chili powder and garlic. Reduce heat to medium and cook until lightly brown, stirring constantly to prevent burning flour.
3. Gradually stir in tomato sauce, water, cumin, and onion powder into the flour and chili powder until smooth, and continue simmering over medium heat approximately 10 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Season to taste with salt.
4. Ladle enough of the sauce into a 9x9 or 10x10 baking dish to cover the bottom. Set aside.
5. Spread 2 Tbsp of the sour cream in each tortilla. Divide chicken among tortillas. Add 1-2 Tbsp shredded cheese. Roll up each tortilla and arrange them in the prepared pan. Ladle sauce over everything in the dish and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake 10-15 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

© Susanne Leighton 2011

 

Glazed Roast Chicken

Serve with Roast Broccoli.

Ingredients:

1 (6-lb) whole chicken
5 t Kosher salt
1 t black pepper
1 t baking powder 
1 can of beer (16 oz tall boy) 
1/2 c maple syrup
1/2 c orange marmalade
1/4 c cider vinegar
2 Tbsp dijon mustard 
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 t black pepper 
1 t corn starch
1 Tbsp water 

Method:

1. Prepare salt rub. Combine salt, pepper and baking powder. Set aside. (The baking powder helps dehydrate the skin.)
2. Prepare the chicken. Place chicken breast side down. Using a sharp paring knife, cut 4 (1") slits along each side of the back bone. This will allow the fat to escape while roasting. Flip the chicken over. Starting at the base of the breast, use your fingers to separate the skin from the breast meat. Repeat from the neck area down so the entire breast is separated from its skin. Continue this on the thigh meat. This creates an air pocket between the meat and the skin, resulting in crispy skin. Using a skewer or toothpick, poke about 15-20 holes through the skin over the breast. Tuck the wings behind the back. Pat surface of chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle salt rub all over the chicken and rub it in thoroughly. Place chicken on a pan and refrigerate for about 30-60 minutes.
3. Pre-heat oven to 325° F.
4. Open beer can and pour half of it out (i.e. drink it). Spray beer can with nonstick cooking spray. Place in roasting pan. Position the chicken upright on top of the beer can. The beer will help steam the meat. Cook 75-90 minutes (internal temperature of 140° F in the breast meat).
5. Increase oven temperature to 500° F.
6. Meanwhile place syrup, marmelade, vinegar, mustard, butter and pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer until reduced to 3/4 cup (about 6-8 minutes). Combine corn starch and water in a small bowl to make a slurry. Gradually whisk slurry into reduced glaze and return to a simmer for another minute. 
7. Pour 1 1/2 cups of water to the roasting pan with the chicken, and return it to the oven until internal temperature reaches 160° F (about 24 minutes). Brush about 1/4 cup of glaze on chicken and return to oven for 5 more minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 20 minutes. Transfer chicken (including can) to a carving board and brush another 1/4 of glaze (there should be 1/4 of glaze left over).
8. Strain juices from roasting pan into a fat separater, allow to stand for 5 minutes, and pour off the fat. Whisk de-fatted juices into remaining glaze.
9. Carve chicken and serve with glaze on the side.

Source: America's Test Kitchen TV Show

Roast Broccoli

Ingredients:

1 large head of broccoli (1.75 lb)
3 Tbsp olive oil 
1/2 t salt
black pepper 
1/2 t sugar 

Method:

1. Pre-heat a sheet pan in 500° F oven.
2. Cut off large portion of stem and cut off outer layer. Cut into 2" lengths. Cut florets into large pieces. Toss with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and sugar.
3. Place broccoli on hot pan and return to oven for 9-11 minutes.

Source: America's Test Kitchen TV Show

Tandoori Chicken

Serve with Rice Pilaf and Onion Relish.

Ingredients

3 lbs bone-in chicken pieces, skin removed

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1 Tbsp garam masala
4 Tbsp lime juice, divided
1 c plain whole milk yogurt
2 t salt 

Method

1. Line a baking sheet with foil; place a wire rack on top. Set aside.
2. Heat oil; add garlic and ginger and cook for about a minute. Add spices and continue cooking and stirring for another minute. Divide mixture as follows: 
   •  Spice Rub: In large bowl, combine half the spice mixture with 2 Tbsp lime juice and 2 tsp salt. Cut slashes 1/8" deep on one side of the chicken pieces. Place into large bowl with spices, lime juice and salt. Work the mixture into the slashes. Allow to stand at room temp for 30 minutes.
   • Yogurt Coating: In small bowl, combine remaining half of spice mixture with 2 Tbsp lime juice and yogurt; stir to combine. 
3. Pre-heat oven to 325° F.
4. After the chicken has marinated in the spice rub, pour the yogurt mixture over the top and turn to coat evenly. Place chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet, scored side down. Bake about 22 minutes (meat thermometer should register 125F in breast and 130F in thigh). 
5. Remove chicken from oven and pre-heat the broiler for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, flip chicken over (scored side up), return to oven, and broil for 8-15 minutes (meat thermometer should register 160-165F in breast and 175F in thigh). Remove from oven. Place chicken pieces on a serving plate and tent with foil.

Source: America's Test Kitchen TV Show

Rice Pilaf

Serve with Tandoori Chicken.

Ingredients:

3 Tbsp Unsalted butter
1 Small onion, minced
1  1/2 c Long grain basmati rice (rinsed and drained)
2  1/4 c Boiling water
1  1/2 t Salt
1/4 t Black pepper 

Method:

1. Heat butter in a medium pot until melted. Add onion and sautee until soft (not browned), about 3-4 minutes. Add rice and continue cooking until edges of rice grains start to turn translucent (about 3 minutes), stirring often.
2. Add boiling water, salt and pepper to rice mixture. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 16-18 minutes; all of the water should be absorbed. Remove from heat. Remove cover, drape a clean kitchen towel over the pan and replace the cover. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Source: America's Test Kitchen TV Show

Indian Style Onion Relish

Serve with Tandoori Chicken.

Ingredients:

1 Vidalia onion, minced
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 t sweet paprika
1/2 t sugar
1/8 t salt
pinch of cayenne pepper 

Method:  

Combine ingredients together.

Source: America's Test Kitchen TV Show

Mexican Street Corn

Ingredients

Corn:

6 Ears of corn, husked and corn silk removed
4 t Oil
1/4 t Salt
1/2 t Chili powder 

Sauce:

4 Tbsp Mayonnaise
3 Tbsp Sour cream
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1/4 tsp Chili powder
1/4 tsp Black pepper
3 Tbsp Chopped cilantro
Lime juice
Fresh garlic
1/3 c Queso Fresco cheese (or feta)

Method

1. Pre-heat grill on high heat. 
2. Sauce: Combine all sauce ingredients in a large bowl or casserole, stirring to combine. Set aside.
3. Corn: Combine oil, salt and chili powder in another large bowl or casserole. Roll corn ears in oil mixture to coat completely. Grill corn for 7-12 minutes over medium-high heat, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking. Corn will char slightly.
4. When corn comes off the grill, place into bowl with sauce and turn to coat. Place on a serving plate and serve.

Source: America's Test Kitchen TV Show

Pork Carnitas

Ingredients

3.5 to 4 lb Boneless pork shoulder (butt), large pockets of fat trimmed off
1 tsp Mexican oregano
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
2 Bay leaves
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Small white or yellow onion, cut in half
2 c Water
1 Orange, cut in half

Serve With:

Corn tortillas
Lime wedges
Diced red onion
Cilantro  

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 300° F.
2. Cut the trimmed pork into large cubes (about 2" square). Place into a large pot with spices, lime juice, onion, water and orange* halves. 
3. Cover and bring to a simmer over high heat, then place into pre-heated oven. Braise, covered, until fork-tender (about 2 hours total), turning meat over after one hour. Remove pot from oven and set aside. 
4. Pre-heat broiler, with rack 8"-10" from broiler. Place a wire rack on a baking sheet and set aside.
5. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer meat to a bowl. Discard bay leaves, orange rind and onion. Bring the remaining liquid in the pot to a boil and simmer, uncovered, for about 10 minutes (glaze consistency). While sauce is simmering, break up the meat into slightly smaller pieces. Pour glaze over meat and toss to coat. 
6. Arrange meat in a single layer on wire rack on baking sheet. Broil 5-8 minutes, turn over, continue broiling another 5-8 minutes or until crispy. Remove from oven. Place meat into a serving bowl.
7. Serve with warm tortillas, limes, onion and cilantro.

*NOTE: You'll want the orange rind and the juice, but not the seeds. Cut orange in half and squeeze juice into a bowl; discard seeds. Place orange juice and the spent orange rinds into the pot.

Source: America's Test Kitchen TV Show

Dot's Cornflake Cookies

This is my maternal grandmother's recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp baking soda
1  1/2 cups flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups corn flakes
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine all ingredients except cornflakes and nuts in mixer. Stir in flakes and nuts by hand.
3. Drop by cookie scoop onto baking sheets. 
4. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

Dorothy "Dot" Plank

Chocolate Crackles

This is my sister's version of a recipe that our great grandmother Bennetsen used to make.

Ingredients:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
powdered sugar, for coating 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Melt chocolate. Combine with brown sugar and oil in a bowl. Add eggs, beating well. Add vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Stir in walnuts.
3. Shape dough into balls and roll in powdered sugar to coat. Place on baking sheet and bake until cookies crack and cracks no longer look wet, about 10 minutes. Do not overbake.
4. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Betsy Leighton