Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Crock Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken

Crock Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken
Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts
1 pkg taco mix
24 oz salsa(bought or homemade)
Juice of 1 lime
Lime zest
1/4 c chopped cilantro

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix all ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low for 6 hours.
Tender and delicious !
Serve with sauce and rice and beans.
Great for tacos or enchiladas.

Fudge Brownie Pudding

My friend Lorna introduced me to this AMAZING dessert... I think it is my favorite dessert!
Lorna said this was served at her bridal luncheon in Oklahoma a few years ago.

Fudge Brownie Pudding
Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 60 min  Serves: 8
Ingredients
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup dutch cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup AP flour
  • 2 T vanilla extract
  • serve with vanilla ice cream,p or whipped cream
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9×9 baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.
  2. Sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside. **Quick tip – whenever I sift flours together, I do it onto a piece of parchment so it’s easy to pick up and add to the mixing bowl)
  3. In your mixer, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and yellow. After 10 minutes, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla, Kahlua, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix very slowly until everything is just combined. Slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.
  4. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add warm water to the pan until it comes halfway up the side of the dish Carefully place it into the oven, making sure not to slosh the water around and bake for 1 hour.
  5. When it’s time to take it out – don’t fear – it’s absolutely going to look like it’s under-baked. (that’s normal) Remove from the water and place in the fridge to cool. Because obviously there isn’t enough calories in the brownie pudding, serve it with vanilla ice cream.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Strawberry Clouds

Whipped cream tops a light, crisp meringue - a great base for the season's fresh berries.
Yield: Makes 6 servings.  Active Time: 20 min.  Total Time: 3 3/4 hr

3 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1 lb strawberries, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise (3 cups)
3/4 cup well-chilled heavy cream

Special equipment: parchment paper

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 190°F.
Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Reduce mixer speed to medium and add 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating, then continue to beat until whites hold stiff glossy peaks.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon a small dollop of meringue on each corner of parchment, then invert parchment to secure to baking sheet. Using a serving spoon, form meringue into 6 mounds about 2 inches apart on parchment. Using a soupspoon, lightly press down and swirl center of each meringue to spread out slightly, into a 3 1/2- to 4-inch round, and create a 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide indentation in center.
Bake meringues until dry but still white, about 2 hours, then cool meringues in turned-off oven (with door closed) 1 hour. (Meringues will be crisp on outside and slightly soft in center.) Cool meringues completely on baking sheet on a rack.
While meringues cool, bring 5 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour cardamom syrup over strawberries in a heatproof bowl and stir gently to combine.
Just before serving, beat cream with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom in a clean bowl using clean beaters until it just holds stiff peaks.
Peel meringues from parchment and put on 6 plates, then spoon about 1/4 cup berries with syrup into each indentation. Spoon whipped cream over berries and top with another 1/4 cup berries with syrup. Serve strawberry clouds immediately.
Cooks' note:
Meringues, without berries, syrup, or whipped cream, can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature.

Chicken Piccata for Honey & CeCe Camp


Lemon Chicken Piccata
 

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 50 Minutes
Servings: 4

"Pan-fried chicken breast medallions get a light, fresh lemon-butter sauce with capers and parsley. "
INGREDIENTS:
3 large skinless, boneless chicken breast
halves - cut into 1/2-inch medallions
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, or as needed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced Italian (flat-leaf)
parsley
DIRECTIONS:
1.Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place a serving platter into the oven to warm.
2.Season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper and dredge them in flour. Shake off excess flour. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet; pan-fry the chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Work in batches and do not crowd skillet, adding oil as needed . Place the chicken pieces onto the warmed platter in the oven. When finished with all the chicken, drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving a thin coating on the surface of the pan.
3.Cook and stir the minced garlic in the skillet until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth. Scrape and dissolve any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the lemon slices and bring the mixture to a boil. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the lemon juice and capers; simmer until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes more. Drop the butter into the skillet and swirl it into the sauce by tilting the skillet until the butter is melted and incorporated. Add the parsley; remove from heat and set aside.
4.Arrange the chicken medallions on serving plates and spoon sauce over each portion to 


2. Season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper and dredge them in flour. Shake off excess flour. Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet; pan-fry the chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Work in batches and do not crowd skillet, adding oil as needed . Place the chicken pieces onto the warmed platter in the oven. When finished with all the chicken, drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving a  2/3 cup, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the lemon juice and capers; simmer until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes more. Drop the butter into the skillet and swirl it into the sauce by tilting the skillet until the butter is melted and incorporated. Add the parsley; remove from