Mom's New Salsa

 Ingredients:
28 oz can whole tomatoes, drained

20 oz Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies (2 cans)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 1/2 T fresh lime juice

1 t minced garlic

1/2 t ground cumin

1/4 t kosher salt

pinch of sugar, optional

Instructions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse a few times until you get a nice consistency. Taste, and add more spice as needed. Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour before serving to help marinate the flavors. Serve with tortilla chips or on top of your favorite Mexican dish.

Chicken Enchilada Soup

 2 chicken breasts

3 cups green enchilada sauce (mild)

1 (23 oz) can cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

1 (10 oz) can rotel tomatoes with green chiles

1 T chili powder

1 t paprika

1 t salt

1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed

1 (15 oz) can corn drained

1 cup cheddar cheese shredded

1/2 cup sour cream

Toppings:

tortilla strils

cheddar cheese

sour cream

In a large slow cooker or crockpot, add the chicken and enchilada sauce. Cook for several hours on medium heat until the chicken is cooked and will shred into the sauce. Add all the remaining ingredients except the sour cream and cook for 1 more hour. Whisk in the sour cream and turn the heat off. Serve with the additional toppings.

French Dip Sandwiches

 3 lb beef chuck roast

olive oil

6 french rolls

12 slices provolone cheese

Crockpot:

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 cup coke

2 10.5 oz beef consomme

1/4 cup dry minced onions

1 T beef bouillon

1 t garlic powder

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t dried oregano

1/2 salt

1/4 t pepper

1/4 dried thyme

1 bay leaf

Heat olive oil in skillet. Sear all sides of the roast. Add to crockpot and top with all remaining ingredients.

Cooke on low for 4 hours. Remove and slice thinly. Place meat back in crockpot. Cook on low for 1-2 hours more.

Split rolls and line the bottoms on baking sheet. Top each with beef, followed by cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted. Serve with au jus.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Dessert

 Crust:

2 cups flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Soften butter, add rest of the ingredients. Mix with hands. Spread on cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 15 minutes.

Raspberry Topping:

4 oz raspberry danish dessert--Prepare with 1 1/4 cup water. Add frozen raspberries that have thawed.

Cream Cheese Layer:

1 envelope Dream Whip (make as directed)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1 t vanilla

Bake crust, cool. Make dream whip mixture, then cut crust to fit 9x13 pan (half of the crust). Then layer cream cheese, other crust, and then the raspberry topping.

Crispiest Chinese Sesame Chicken

 

Ingredients

Sesame Chicken Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds

Tempura Batter:

• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup cold seltzer water

Chicken:

• 1 lb chicken thighs boneless and skinless cut into 1? chunks
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• vegetable oil for deep frying

Instructions

1. To make the sauce mix all the ingredients together and to prepare the batter, add the ingredients together until just combined.

2. Add the chicken pieces to the batter and coat while heating 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees and add the chicken to the oil in batches frying until golden brown.

3. In a large wok or skillet add the sesame oil to the frying pan and add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Add in the sauce and the chicken and coat quickly and serve immediately, garnished with sesame seeds.

Sweet and Buttery Cornbread

 Ingredients

• ⅔ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1⅔ cups milk
• 2⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 4½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Cream butter and and sugar with mixer.
2. In a separate bowl whisk eggs and milk. I
3. In another bowl blend flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. Alternately add egg/milk mixture and flour mixture to creamed butter, mixing after each addition.
4. Spread batter into greased 13"x 9" pan and bake at 400 degrees until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 22 to 27 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

Pad See Ew

 

Ingredients

NOODLES

• ▢200g / 7 oz dried wide rice stick noodles , or 15 oz / 450g fresh wide flat rice noodles (Sen Yai) (Note 1)

SAUCE

• ▢2 tbsp dark soy sauce (Note 2)
• ▢2 tbsp oyster sauce
• ▢2 tsp soy sauce (all purpose or light, Note 3)
• ▢2 tsp white vinegar (plain white vinegar)
• ▢2 tsp sugar (any type)
• ▢2 tbsp water

STIR FRY

• ▢3 tbsp peanut or vegetable oil , separated
• ▢2 cloves garlic cloves, very finely chopped
• ▢1 cup / 150g / 5oz chicken thighs (boneless, skinless), sliced (Note 4)
• ▢1 large egg
• ▢4 stems Chinese broccoli (Note 5)

Instructions

• Chinese Broccoli - trim ends, cut into 7.5cm/3" pieces. Separate leaves from stems. Cut thick stems in half vertically so they're no wider than 0.8cm / 0.3" thick.
• Noodles - Prepare according to packet directions and drain. Time it so they're cooked just before using - do not leave cooked rice noodles lying around, they break in the wok.
• Sauce - Mix ingredients until sugar dissolves.

COOKING:

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a very large heavy based skillet or wok over high heat.
• Add garlic, cook 15 seconds. Add chicken, cook until it mostly changes from pink to white.
• Add Chinese broccoli stems, cook until chicken is almost cooked through.
• Add Chinese broccoli leaves, cook until just wilted.
• Push everything to one side, crack egg in and scramble. Remove everything onto a plate (scrape wok clean).
• Return wok to stove, heat 2 tbsp oil over high heat. 
• Add noodles and Sauce. Toss as few times as possible to disperse Sauce and make edges of noodles caramelise. 
• Quickly add chicken and veg back in, and toss to disperse. Serve immediately!
•  Recipe Notes:

1. Noodles - Pad See Ew is traditionally made with Sen Yai fresh rice noodles which are wide, flat rice noodles. These are hard to handle and quite difficult to find, even at Asian grocery stores - you need to go to a Thai grocery store.

Easiest to use wide, dried rice stick noodles. I use Pad Thai noodles, the widest you can find at supermarkets.

Fresh rice noodle - Feel free to use, follow the directions in Char Kway Teow to prepare the rice noodles for cooking.

Other noodles - can be made with other noodles, fresh or dried, rice or egg noodles. However, I do not recommend using vermicelli as it is too thin for the strong flavours of the sauce.

2. Dark soy sauce has a stronger flavour than ordinary and light soy sauce, and stains the noodles brown. Can sub with ordinary soy, but noodles won't be as dark and flavour will be slightly less strong.

3. Normal soy sauce - I use Kikkoman. Or use light soy sauce. 

4. Chicken - You can substitute the chicken with other proteins suitable for stir frying, even tofu or prawns.

5. Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan, kai lan)If you can't find Chinese broccoli, you can substitute with other leafy Chinese vegetables such as pak choy or bok choy. Or use broccolini - cut them in half lengthwise.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

INGREDIENTS

•  1-2 teaspoons olive oil
•  1/2 cup diced onion
•  2 cloves garlic, finely minced
•  1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
•  1 medium red or green bell pepper, seeded and diced
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 teaspoon black pepper
•  5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
•  8 ounce can tomato sauce
•  15-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
•  15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
•  2 teaspoons chili powder
•  1 teaspoon dried oregano
•  1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
•  1 1/2 to 2 pounds (about 3 medium) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed into 1-inch pieces
•  3 to 4 corn tortillas, chopped (see note)
•  1 cup frozen corn kernels
•  1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
•  Sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, avocados, crispy tortilla strips or chips, and other desired toppings, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pressure cooker: Using the saute function, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, garlic, jalapeño and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
2. Add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, chili powder, oregano, and cumin, chicken, and chopped tortillas. Stir.
3. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
4. Let the pressure naturally release for 10-15 minutes before using quick release for the remaining pressure.
5. Stir in the corn and lime juice. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with desired toppings.
6. Stovetop: In a 4- or 5-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onion, garlic, jalapeño and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften.
7. Add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Stir.
8. Bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
9. Add the chicken and chopped tortillas; cook for 8-10 minutes more until the chicken is cooked through.
10. Stir in the corn and lime juice. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with desired toppings.
11. Slow Cooker: In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and saute the onion, garlic, jalapeño and bell pepper for 2-3 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker (you can skip this pre-cooking step, but I like to do it since I find that sometimes the onions don't soften all the way when cooking).
12. Add the salt, pepper, chicken broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans, chili powder, oregano, cumin, chicken, and chopped tortillas. Stir.
13. Cook for 4-6 hours on low or 2-3 on high. Stir in the corn and lime juice. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with desired toppings.

NOTES

Corn Tortillas: let's talk about those corn tortillas for a second. I like adding the chopped corn tortillas while the soup is cooking - they soften and dissolve a little bit in the soup adding a yummy texture, and they thicken the soup slightly. You don't have to add them if you don't want, or you can substitute them with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of masa harina (I haven't tried it with regular cornmeal, but I'm guessing it would work).

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Brown Sugar Oatmeal

 

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup Milk
• ▢ ½ cup Water
• ▢ 1 cup instant Oatmeal
• ▢ 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon ground
• ▢ ¼ Teaspoon Salt
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• Vanilla

Instructions

• Grab a pan and add the water and milk. Heat up and pour in your oatmeals, cinnamon powder, and salt.
• Mix the whole content well.
• Let the oats cook on the slow heat while stirring all the time. The porridge will thicken and once it's completely thick it's done.
• Pour the porridge into a bowl and sprinkle the brown sugar over the hot porridge. You can sprinkle some cinnamon too if you wish.
• Mix in the brown sugar and enjoy still warm!

Famous Freezer Beef and Bean Burritos

 

INGREDIENTS

•  1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
•  1 cup chopped onion
•  1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
•  1/4 teaspoon black pepper (I use coarsely ground pepper)
•  3 cans (16 ounces each) refried beans
•  3 cans (4 ounces) green chiles (mild, medium or hot, depending on preference)
•  1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) green taco sauce or green enchilada sauce
•  1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) red taco sauce or red enchilada sauce
•  1/2 cup (4 ounces) salsa, green or red
•  1 teaspoon ground cumin
•  1 teaspoon chili powder
•  1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•  1/2 teaspoon onion powder
•  6 to 7 cups shredded cheese (I prefer using a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)
•  20 10-inch tortillas or 30 8-inch tortillas

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef and onion with the salt and pepper until cooked through, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain excess grease. 
2. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the cheese and tortillas) and mix to combine. Heat through, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. 
3. Let the mixture cool slightly. Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the filling on each tortilla (depending on the size of the tortilla and how stuffed you want them). Sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese (or so!) on the filling. Fold in the sides and then roll the burrito closed (see pictures in the post for a visual). 
4. I roll all the burritos and place them on a large sheet pan. After they are all rolled, I wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and then put them in gallon size ziploc bags and freeze. 
5. To reheat, unwrap burrito from plastic wrap and microwave for one minute. Poke holes in the semi-thawed burrito with a fork or cut the burrito in half and microwave for 1-minute intervals until heated through. They'll be piping hot! Eat carefully. :)

NOTES

Ingredients: the success of this recipe relies heavily on using brands/flavors you like for the refried beans, taco or enchilada sauce, green chiles, spices, etc. 

Beans/Chiles/Sauce: I almost always use the La Victoria brand of taco sauce, Old El Paso or Hatch brand of canned green chiles, homemade refried beans or Trader Joe's, Old El Paso or Rosarita traditional refried beans. 

Salsa: my favorite salsa is this homemade stuff or Trader Joe's chunky salsa or salsa verde. 

Chili Powder: my preferred chili powder is Penzey's but I've used McCormick in this recipe many, many times. 

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