January 2013

Cassie-Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Haley-Chicken Gyros
Holly-Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken
Lindsey-Shrimp Pasta
Lauri-Mexican Style Pork with Tortillas and Salad
JoLayna-Lime Baked Fish Fillets
Kimberly-Chicken Enchiladas and Brazilian Lemonade

Chicken Enchiladas and Brazilian Lemonade

Chicken Enchiladas

8-10 white corn tortillas
3 breasts boneless/skinless chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can diced green chilies
1 8 oz. sour cream
1 small onion - diced
2 cups shredded cheese

Boil chicken. While boiling chicken combine soup, chilies, onion and sour cream and set aside. Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Spread sauce mixture onto each tortilla, place chicken in center, roll up and place seam-side down in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle shredded cheese over all. Bake uncovered at 350˚ for 20 minutes.

Brazilian Lemonade

6 juicy limes (try and find ones with thin, smooth skins; they’re the juiciest and the thin skin cuts down on the chance of your drink being bitter)
1 c. sugar
6 c. cold water
6 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

Mix cold water and sugar very well and chill until ready to use. This step can be done ahead of time.

Wash limes thoroughly with soap (I just use hand-dishwashing soap or regular hand soap); you need the soap to get the wax and pesticides off of the limes because you’re using the WHOLE lime, baby. Cut the ends off the limes and then cut each lime into 8ths.

Place 1/2 of the limes in your blender.

Add 1/2 of the sugar water, place the lid on your blender, and pulse 5 times. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher (the one you’ll serve the lemonade in) and pour the blended mixture through the strainer and into the pitcher. Use a spoon to press the rest of the liquid into the pitcher. Dump the pulp and stuff in the strainer into the trash. Repeat with remaining limes and sugar water. Add sweetened condensed milk; DO NOT leave this step out unless you will die of a horrible sweetened condensed milk allergy because this is the secret ingredient! You may want to taste test it at this point; I used giant, thick-skinned limes tonight and didn’t test it and it came out a little bitter. If it’s bitter, just add some more sugar and maybe a little more milk.
Serve immediately over lots of ice. This does not keep well, so don’t make this in advance (although you can cut the limes, mix the sugar water, and measure the sweetened condensed milk in advance). Serves 4, although I can pretty much guarantee you that people will want more; I usually plan on 1 1/2 servings at LEAST per person.

Shrimp Pasta

2T Butter

2T Olive Oil

1 pkg Angel Hair Pasta

2 tsp chopped garlic

1 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined

28 oz Italian-sytled diced tomatoes

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 T chopped parsley

2 tsp basil

2 tsp cornstarch

6 T Parmesean, grated

1.  Cook pasta according to package directions.

2.  Drain tomatoes but reserve the liquid. Stir the cornstarch into the reserved liquid and set aside.

3.  Saute garlic in olive oil & butter in large skillet. Add drained tomatoes & white wine.  Let cook until reduced by half, about 8-12 minutes.  Add cornstarch liquid, shrimp, basil & parsley and stir until shrimp is cooked through & sauce has thickened.

4.  Serve the shrimp sauce over the pasta and top with cheese.

Café Rio Style Shredded Pork Tacos/Salad

(Our Best Bites)                                                          Lauri Lund

4 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast                                   2(10 oz) cans enchilada sauce

½ tsp kosher salt                                                                     1 cup of brown sugar, divided

¼ tsp black pepper                                                                  ½ cup salsa

2 tsp chili powder                                                                   ½ Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp onion powder                                                                 ¼ cup of apple juice

1-2 Tbsp veg oil

1.       Trim the visible fat from the roast and sprinkle with salt, pepper, chili powder, and onion powder.    Use your hands to massage the spices all over the sides of the meat. 

2.       Heat the veg. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Sear the pork roast on all sides quickly to seal in the juices. 

3.       Combine the enchilada sauce, 2/3 cup of brown sugar, salsa, Worcestershire sauce, and apple juice and the pork in a crock pot, cover and cook on low for 7 hours with lid on the entire time.

4.       Remove pork and shred, discarding any pieces of fat, put pork back in the crock pot.  Add the additional 1/3 cup of  brown sugar to the pork and turn heat to high.  Simmer with lid off for 30 minutes.

Serve with black beans, rice, guacamole, cheese, tortilla strips, warmed fresh tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, and Creamy Cilantro-lime Ranch dressing.

Creamy Cilantro-Lime Ranch Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise                                                                    2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

½ cup milk or buttermilk                                                         ½ cup roughly chopped cilantro

1 lime, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)                                                  ¼ cup green salsa (La Costena or Herdez)

1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix                         hot sauce (like Cholula, or Tabasco) to taste

(ignore the package directions)

Combine mayo, milk, lime juice, and the contents of the packet of ranch dressing in a blender.  Add garlic, cilantro, and green salsa and blend to thoroughly mix all the ingredients.   Season with hot sauce, if desired.  If possible refrigerate for several hours to allow the dressing to thicken and the flavors to meld.

Lime Baked Fish Fillets

Lime-Baked Fish Fillets (from Lion House Lite Recipe book)

½ cup lime juice (fresh is best)

4 T butter

1 tsp parsley flakes

½ tsp kosher salt

2 clove minced garlic

¼ tsp pepper

8 white fish fillets

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except fish. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until butter is melted. Arrange fish fillets is prepared dish and pour lime sauce over them. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve immediately.

Georgette's Really Lemony Greek Pilafi (from Kalyn’s Kitchen)
(about 8 servings)

2 cups Uncle Ben's Converted Rice (not instant)
4 T olive oil (or 1 T butter and 1 T olive oil)
2 tsp. salt
6 T lemon juice (or more)
6 C chicken stock

Use a heavy pan with a tight fitting lid. Sauté rice in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add salt and lemon juice and sauté 1 minute more. Add chicken stock carefully so it doesn't splash up on you, let it come to a boil, reduce heat to the lowest you can get it and still keep the liquid boiling and cook 30 minutes without peeking at all.

After 30 minutes you are allowed to peek to see if all the liquid is absorbed. If not cook a few more minutes until it has. I find it usually takes 35 minutes, but I can't keep myself from peeking after 30 minutes. 

Crockpot Santa Fe Chicken

Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g • Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

Ingredients: 

·                     24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast

·                     14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies

·                     15 oz can black beans

·                     8 oz frozen corn

·                     1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

·                     14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth

·                     3 scallions, chopped

·                     1 tsp garlic powder

·                     1 tsp onion powder

·                     1 tsp cumin

·                     1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

·                     salt to taste

Directions: 

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top.  

Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning to taste. Serve over rice or tortillas and your favorite toppings.

Baked Monte Cristo Sandwiches

Monte Cristo Sandwich

Ingredients

• 8 slices bread ( I use challah)
• 4 teaspoons honey dijon mustard
• 8 slices thin deli sliced swiss cheese
• 8 slices thin deli ham
• 8 slices thin deli sliced turkey ( I like smoked)
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons milk ( low fat to try to keep it low in fat!)
• powdered sugar, for dusting
• raspberry preserves, for dipping

Directions

1. Heat oven to 425°F.
2. Lightly butter a baking sheet pan. I use the spray.
3. Spread 1/2 teaspoon mustard on each slice of bread.
4. Layer between mustard sides of two slices of bread, 1 slice cheese, 2 slices ham, 2 slices turkey, and another slice of cheese.
5. Repeat to make four sandwiches. Whisk eggs, flour, butter, salt and pepper in a shallow dish until smooth.
6. Blend in milk.
7. DIP both sides of sandwiches into egg mixture until bread is lightly soaked.
8. Place on baking sheet; drizzle any remaining egg mixture over top of sandwiches. 
   9. Bake 8-10 minutes until bottom is golden brown.
   10. Turn with wide spatula and continue baking 8-10 minutes or until second side is golden brown.
   11. Serve warm dusted with powdered sugar and dip or spread raspberry preserves on sandwiches.
   12. Garnish with fresh raspberries.