About my Blog

The best experience than I have been able to enjoy in my life is to cook. The kitchen is not a profession to which it is gone to obtain the resources necessary to survive, but the adorable temple where that loves this profession it gets to rest of the real world, where it submerges in that creative volume to obtain a smile and a gratefulness of which they wait for the best thing of us. To cook is an art, is the creativity personified in the personal taste of each chef, is the freedom to include in each prescription the most dissimilar ingredients and to obtain an incredible flavor…….

CREAMY PESTO SHRIMP




Ingredients

* 1 pound linguine pasta
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 cups heavy cream
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/3 cup pesto
* 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguine pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in cream, and season with pepper. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir Parmesan cheese into cream sauce, stirring until thoroughly mixed. Blend in the pesto, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the shrimp, and cook until they turn pink, about 5 minutes. Serve over the hot linguine.




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STACKED ENCHILADAS




Ingredients:

Red chili sauce
1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped white onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup chopped, pitted ripe olives
1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

Directions:

Cook beef in 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up beef into small pieces, until no longer red, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onion; saut? until onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Spoon off fat. Add garlic, salt and 1 cup red chili sauce to skillet; mix well. Heat over medium heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until mot of the liquid has evaporated and meat is moistly coated with sauce, about 5 minutes.

Heat remaining 3/4 cup oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Fry tortillas, 1 at a time, just until limp and blistered, 5 to 10 seconds per side. Drain on paper toweling. Remove oil from skillet; wipe clean.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 cups chili sauce in medium skillet over medium heat until hot; remove from heat. Dip 1 tortilla into chili sauce to coat both sides; remove, draining off excess sauce. Place on broiler-proof individual serving plate. Spread tortilla with slightly rounded, 1/4 cup meat mixture; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese and 1 tablespoon olives. Add second dipped tortilla and meat, cheese and olive layers; top with third dipped tortilla. Repeat procedure to assemble 3 more stacks. Pour any remaining chili sauce over stacks and sprinkle with remaining cheese, dividing evenly.

Place stacks under broiler so that tops are 4 inches below heat source. Broil until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle tops with remaining olives, dividing evenly. Garnish with lettuce.

¡¡¡ Enjoy !!!

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CHORIZO BREAKFAST BURRITOS



Ingredients

* cooking spray
* 3/4 pound chorizo sausage, casings removed and crumbled
* 1/2 cup chopped red onion
* 1 green chile pepper, seeded and diced
* 4 eggs
* 4 flour tortillas
* 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Generously coat a large frying pan with cooking spray. Cook and stir chorizo over medium high heat until well browned and crumbled. Add onion and chile pepper, and continue cooking until onion is tender. Beat eggs in a bowl, and add to chorizo mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until eggs are scrambled and no longer runny. Warm flour tortillas in the microwave for 30 seconds. Spoon mixture into the middle of each tortilla and top with shredded Cheddar cheese. Roll up like a burrito, and enjoy!

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ROQUEFORT PEAR SALAD



Ingredients

* 1 head leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
* 3 pears - peeled, cored and chopped
* 5 ounces Roquefort cheese, crumbled
* 1 avocado - peeled, pitted, and diced
* 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
* 1/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup pecans
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard
* 1 clove garlic, chopped
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a skillet over medium heat, stir 1/4 cup of sugar together with the pecans. Continue stirring gently until sugar has melted and caramelized the pecans. Carefully transfer nuts onto waxed paper. Allow to cool, and break into pieces. For the dressing, blend oil, vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, mustard, chopped garlic, salt, and pepper. In a large serving bowl, layer lettuce, pears, blue cheese, avocado, and green onions. Pour dressing over salad, sprinkle with pecans, and serve.


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RISOTTO A PARMIGIANA




Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pound Arborio rice
6 cups chicken stock, hot
2 tablespoons butter
3 ounces Parmagiano Reggiano cheese, coarsely grated

Directions:

Heat the butter and oil in a large, straight−sided saute pan or saucepan. Add the onion, and saute until soft, without browning. Add the rice, and saute for 2 minutes until the rice is well−coated. Ladle 1/2 cup of stock into the rice, stirring constantly, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is almost dry.

Add more stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until it's all absorbed by the rice and the rice is al dente. The rice should be very moist and creamy, but not runny; the rice should be firm but tender, not crunchy. Remove from heat, and stir in the raw butter and the Parmagiano cheese. Salt to taste, and serve immediately.

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CHICKEN LASAGNA WITH ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE





Ingredients

* 1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
* 1 pound andouille sausage, quartered lengthwise and sliced
* 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into chunks
* 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
* 1 teaspoon dried sage
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
* 20 ounces Classico® Creamy Alfredo Sauce
* 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, combine sausage, chicken, Cajun seasoning and sage. Cook until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear, about 8 minutes. Remove meat from skillet with a slotted spoon, and set aside. Saute onion, celery, bell pepper and garlic until tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cooked meat and half of the Alfredo sauce. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover bottom with 4 lasagna noodles. Spread with 1/2 of the meat mixture. Repeat layers, and cover with a layer of noodles. Spread remaining Alfredo sauce over top. Top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.


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SHRIMP AND MUSHROOM LINGUINI WITH CREAMY CHEESE HERB SAUSE


Ingredients

* 1 (8 ounce) package linguini pasta
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
* 1/2 cup butter
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 3/4 teaspoon dried basil
* 2/3 cup boiling water
* 1/2 pound cooked shrimp

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini, and cook until tender, about 7 minutes. Drain. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook and stir until tender. Transfer to a plate. In the same pan, melt 1/2 cup butter with the minced garlic. Stir in the cream cheese, breaking it up with a spoon as it melts. Stir in the parsley and basil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in boiling water until sauce is smooth. Stir in cooked shrimp and mushrooms, and heat through. Toss linguini with shrimp sauce, and serve.

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CLONE OF A CINNABON




Ingredients

* 1 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 2 eggs, room temperature
* 1/3 cup margarine, melted
* 4 1/2 cups bread flour
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
* 1 cup brown sugar, packed
* 2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
* 1/3 cup butter, softened
* 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough cycle; press Start. After the dough has doubled in size turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with 1/3 cup butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough and cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.


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TACO BAKE



Ingredients:

Taco Crust

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 package quick rise yeast
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt
About 2/3 cup very warm water
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup crushed corn chips

Filling

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 package taco seasoning mix
3/4 cup water

Toppings

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup chopped lettuce
1 1/2 cups diced tomato

Sour cream

Taco Crust: In medium bowl combine 1 cup flour, yeast, sugar, onion and salt; mix well. Add Very warm water and oil to mixture. Mix by hand till almost smooth. Stir in corn chips and enough of remaining flour to make a stiff batter. Spread in a well-greased 10-inch pie pan. Cover and let rise 10 minutes. Spread meat filling over dough. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese, lettuce and tomato. Dot with sour cream.

Filling: Brown ground beef with chopped onion. Add taco seasoning and water. Simmer for 25 minutes.



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GUACAMOLE OMELET



Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
Salt and pepper
1/2 avocado, peeled
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Dash of seasoned salt
4 drops hot pepper sauce
1 small tomato, chopped

Directions:

In a small bowl mash avocado until chunky. Add lemon juice, seasoned salt, hot pepper sauce and tomato. Mix well. Set aside.

Mix eggs, water and a dash of salt and pepper. Beat briskly. Pour into a hot nonstick skillet or omelet pan. Stir with a circular motion while shaking the pan vigorously over heat. Stir until eggs begin to set. Let stand 2 to 3 seconds and shake pan. Omelet should move freely. Spoon guacamole mixture over half of omelet. Slip a broad spatula under the omelet and fold in half carefully.

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SHREDDED BEEF (MACHACA)




Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless chuck
2 cups water
Peppercorns or pepper
1/2 medium onion
Garlic
1 can green chiles
Salt
1 or 2 cloves garlic, mashed with 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Directions

In large pan combine meat, water, pepper, onion, garlic and salt to taste. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer until very tender, about 2 hours or cover and bake in oven for 3 hours.

Cool meat in broth. Drain. Reserve 2/3 cup broth for meat. Shred meat with fork. Mash the garlic to make paste. Heat oil. Add chopped onion and garlic. Cook until tender. Add chiles and tomatoes. Cook 1 or 2 minutes. Add meat, cumin and fresh pepper to taste. Cook until meat is heated through. Stir in reserved broth. Add salt if needed. Keep warm.

Serve in warm flour tortillas.


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MEXICAN MANICOTTI




Ingredients:

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 cup refried beans
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
8 manicotti shells
1 1/4 cup water
1 (8 ounce) can picant? or taco sauce
8 ounces dairy sour cream
1/4 cup finely chopped scallion
1/4 cup sliced, pitted ripe olives
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Combine ground beef, refried beans, oregano and cumin; mix well. Fill UNCOOKED manicotti shells with meat mixture. Arrange in a 10 x 6 x 2-inch baking dish. Combine water and picant? sauce or taco sauce; pour over manicotti shells. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 325 degrees F for at least one hour until pasta is tender.

Combine sour cream, scallion and olives. Spoon down the center of the casserole; top with cheese. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Microwave instructions: After pouring water and sauce over shells, cover with vented plastic wrap. Cook on HIGH for 10 minutes, half-turning the dish once. Using tongs, turn shells over. Cook, covered, on MEDIUM for 17 to 19 minutes or until pasta is tender, giving dish a half-turn once.

Combine sour cream, scallion and olives. Spoon down center of casserole; top with cheese. Cook, uncovered, on HIGH for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese melts.

Makes 4 servings.



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CRANBERRY STUFFED TURKEY BREASTS




Ingredients

* 1 (12 ounce) package herb-seasoned bread stuffing mix
* 2 skinless boneless turkey breasts
* 1 cup chopped pecans
* 2 (8 ounce) packages dried, sweetened cranberries
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 6 lettuce leaves
* 1/2 cup pecan halves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions. Set aside to cool. With a sharp knife, butterfly breasts open to lay flat. Place each breast between two sheets of waxed paper, and flatten with a mallet. Spread the prepared stuffing to within 1/4 inch of the edge of each breast. Sprinkle each one with chopped pecans and dried cranberries, reserving some of the cranberries for garnish. Roll up tightly in a jellyroll style, starting with the long end. Tuck in ends, and tie in sections with string, about 4 sections around the middle and one running the length of the roll to secure the ends. Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.

Carefully brown rolls on all sides. Place skillet in oven, uncovered. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 1 hour, or until the internal temperature is at 170 degrees F (78 degrees C) when taken with a meat thermometer. Do not let these get overly dry. Allow rolls to set for 15 minutes before removing string, and slicing into 1/2 to 3/4 inch circles.

Leave one roll whole, and slice the other for presentation. Stuffing will be spiraled into meat. Present on your prettiest platter on a bed of curly lettuce, and garnish by sprinkling with the remaining 1/2 cup pecan halves and the reserved dried cranberries.

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CHEESY BUFFALO CHICKEN LASAGNA



Ingredients

* 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast - cooked and diced
* 4 cups Classico Tomato and Basil Sauce
* 2 tablespoons hot sauce
* 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 1 small green bell pepper, chopped
* 1 (6 ounce) can mushrooms, drained
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
* 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* 3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a lasagna pan. In a large bowl combine the chicken, pasta sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, water, garlic powder, onion, bell pepper and mushrooms; mix well and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the egg beat and ricotta cheese. Spread 1 cup of the chicken/spaghetti mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with lasagna noodles, then another 1 1/2 cups of the chicken mixture. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta/egg mixture over all, then top with 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese. Add another layer of noodles, 1 1/2 cups chicken mixture, remaining ricotta mixture and remaining mozzarella. Top with one last layer of noodles and remaining chicken mixture. Cover pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 70 minutes. Remove cover, sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and bake uncovered for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven, cover and let stand for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

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BUTTERY SOFT PRETZELS



Ingredients

* 4 teaspoons active dry yeast
* 1 teaspoon white sugar
* 1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
* 5 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
*
* 1/2 cup baking soda
* 4 cups hot water
* 1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

Directions

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add one or two tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water. When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all of the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake in preheated oven for 8 minutes, until browned.

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BUTTERMILK CHESS PIE



Ingredients

* 2 cups white sugar
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 5 eggs
* 2/3 cup buttermilk
* 1/2 cup melted butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C.) In a large bowl, combine sugar and flour. Beat in the eggs and buttermilk until blended. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Pour filling into the pie crust. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until filling is set.

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OLIVE CHICKEN





Ingredients

* 8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
* salt to taste
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 4 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 bay leaf
* 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 4 tomatoes, peeled and quartered
* 20 pimento-stuffed green olives
* 1 1/4 cups dry white wine
* 1 1/4 cups chicken broth

Directions

Season chicken with salt. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat; brown chicken in oil, about 5 minutes each side. Add garlic, bay leaf, thyme and pepper and mix well, then stir in tomatoes, olives, wine and broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove garlic and bay leaf and serve.


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KIELBASA AND BOW TIES



Ingredients

* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 pound kielbasa
* 2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
* 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 (8 ounce) package tri-colored farfalle (bow tie) pasta
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Directions

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes, or until tender. Then stir in the kielbasa and saute for 5 more minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt and pepper to taste and the pasta. Mix all together well, making sure the mixture is wet enough to cook the pasta. If necessary, mix in some water. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the pasta is tender.


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OXTAIL STEW




Ingredients

* 3 lbs oxtails with separated joints
* Salt and pepper
* Olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
* 1 celery rib, chopped
* 1 large carrot, chopped
* 2 cups stock (chicken or beef)
* 2 cups of red wine
* 3 whole cloves garlic, peel still on
* One bay leaf
* Pinch of thyme
* Parsley
* 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch segments, large pieces also cut lengthwise
* 2 parsnips, cut into 1-inch segments, large pieces also cut lengthwise
* 2 turnips, cut into 1-inch pieces
* Olive oil
* Salt and pepper



Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pat dry oxtails with paper towels. Sprinkle oxtails all over with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium to medium high heat in a 6-quart Dutch oven. Working in batches, and not crowding the pan, sear the oxtails in hot pan on all sides until golden brown. Use tongs to remove oxtails to a plate, setting aside. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery to the pan. Cook for a few minutes until onions are translucent. Add the oxtails back to the pan. Add the whole garlic cloves, the stock and wine. Add bay leaf, thyme, and half a teaspoon of salt. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 3 hours, until meat if fork tender.

One hour before the meat is done, heat oven on 350°F. Toss carrots, parsnips, and turnips in olive oil in a roasting pan. Sprinkle well with salt and pepper. Roast vegetables for 1 hour, or until lightly browned and cooked through. When meat is tender, remove oxtails from the cooking liquid. Either skim the fat off the top with a spoon, use a fat separator to remove the fat, or chill the cooking liquid for several hours so that the fat solidifies, making it easier to remove. If you are making ahead, at this point you can just put the stew in the refrigerator (let come to room temp first), with the oxtails still in it, and let it chill over night. The next day, scrap off the fat, reheat and then remove the meat from the dish.


Pour the cooking liquid through a mesh strainer into a bowl, using a rubber spatula to press against the vegetable solids caught in the strainer. Discard the solids. Return the liquid to the pan and simmer until reduced by half. Then add back in the oxtails, and add the roasted vegetables to the pan. Heat on low heat for half an hour for the flavors to meld. Add some chopped parsley before serving.

Serves 4-6.


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SWORDFISH A LA SICILIANA





Ingredients

* 3 ounces raisins
* 5 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 small onion, minced
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/2 pound ripe tomatoes, diced
* 10 green olives, pitted and minced
* 2 ounces pine nuts
* 1/4 cup capers
* 2 pounds swordfish steaks
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Soak raisins in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or skillet over high heat. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in raisins, tomatoes, olives, pine nuts and capers. Cover pan, reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes. Season the steaks with salt and pepper. Place in a lightly oiled baking dish and cover with the cooked sauce. Bake in preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until steaks are firm.



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STACKED ENCHILADAS



Ingredients:

Red chili sauce
1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup finely chopped white onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 cups shredded mild Cheddar cheese
2/3 cup chopped, pitted ripe olives
1 1/2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce

Directions:

Cook beef in 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, breaking up beef into small pieces, until no longer red, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onion; saut? until onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Spoon off fat. Add garlic, salt and 1 cup red chili sauce to skillet; mix well. Heat over medium heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring frequently, until mot of the liquid has evaporated and meat is moistly coated with sauce, about 5 minutes.

Heat remaining 3/4 cup oil in medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Fry tortillas, 1 at a time, just until limp and blistered, 5 to 10 seconds per side. Drain on paper toweling. Remove oil from skillet; wipe clean.

Heat remaining 1 1/2 cups chili sauce in medium skillet over medium heat until hot; remove from heat. Dip 1 tortilla into chili sauce to coat both sides; remove, draining off excess sauce. Place on broiler-proof individual serving plate. Spread tortilla with slightly rounded, 1/4 cup meat mixture; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese and 1 tablespoon olives. Add second dipped tortilla and meat, cheese and olive layers; top with third dipped tortilla. Repeat procedure to assemble 3 more stacks. Pour any remaining chili sauce over stacks and sprinkle with remaining cheese, dividing evenly.

Place stacks under broiler so that tops are 4 inches below heat source. Broil until cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.

Sprinkle tops with remaining olives, dividing evenly. Garnish with lettuce.


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ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP




Ingredients

* 1 pound Italian sausage
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
* 1 cup sliced carrots
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can great Northern beans, undrained
* 2 small zucchini, cubed
* 2 cups spinach - packed, rinsed and torn
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. In a stockpot or Dutch oven, brown sausage with garlic. Stir in broth, tomatoes and carrots, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
2. Stir in beans with liquid and zucchini. Cover, and simmer another 15 minutes, or until zucchini is tender.
3. Remove from heat, and add spinach. Replace lid allowing the heat from the soup to cook the spinach leaves. Soup is ready to serve after 5 minutes.



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POZOLE




Ingredients:

2 (16 ounce) cans yellow hominy
1 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 (4 ounce) can green chiles, seeded and chopped, or 2 fresh jalapenos, seeded and chopped, or if you like it spicy 2 whole jalapenos, chopped
1/8 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon good chili powder or fresh ground
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
1 cup Pepperidge Farm Cornbread stuffing or bread crumbs

Directions:

Mix all ingredients except for stuffing or bread crumbs and place in a 2-quart oiled casserole dish and top with bread crumbs. Bake in 375 degree F oven for 25-30 minutes. After baking, more Monterey jack cheese can be sprinkled over the top and melted under the broiler.

For a "meatier" dish add 1 pound browned, drained ground beef and 2 cups cooked pinto or garbanzo beans. I play with this recipe a lot and add this and that to it.


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STRAWBERRY-BLUEBERRY TRIFLE



Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
1 1/2 cups cold water
1 (3 1/2 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 pint whipping cream, whipped
4 cups pound cake cubes
1 pound strawberries (fresh or frozen)
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

In large bowl combine sweetened condensed milk, water, lemon rind; mix well. Add pudding mix and beat until well blended. Chill 5 minutes.

Fold in whipped cream. Spoon 2 cups pudding mix into large clear glass bowl; top with half the cake cubes, the strawberries, half the remaining pudding mixture, the remaining cake cubes, the blueberries and the remaining pudding mix (spread to 1-inch of edge of bowl). Chill at least 4 hours. Garnish as desired.

You can substitute peaches for the strawberries, etc.

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CHICKEN TORTELLINI ALFREDO



Ingredients

* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 3 skinned and boned chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch pieces
* salt and pepper
* 1 tablespoon dried or fresh tarragon or thyme (optional)
* flour for dredging
* 2 1/2 cups Newman's Own All-Natural Alfredo Sauce
* 10 ounces cheese tortellini, prepared according to package directions
* chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

Saute onion in butter until limp and set aside. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Add tarragon or thyme, if desired. Dredge in flour and saute in pan used to saute onion for about 5 to 7 minutes. Add onions, Alfredo sauce, and tortellini. Stir together, heating thoroughly for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with parsley and diced peppers as desired.


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