Lime Chicken Tacos

I am a big fan of the crock pot. You get up early, throw a bunch of stuff into it, and voila-- 6 hours later you have a delicious meal, almost no work required.

I found this recipe in an old issue of Simple and Delicious; I had the 6 ingredients on hand so I figured why not? Let me just say wow. The chicken, after cooking for 6 hours, just shreds into these delicious moist pieces. However, the sauce, made from mostly store bought salsa, leaves a little to be desired. If I make this again, which I figure I will, I will play around with the sauce... maybe add some taco seasoning... Or go a completely different route and make this BBQ chicken instead!

The salsa sauce isn't that bad, especially if you use a yummy salsa (I used Newman's Own Salsa with Pineapple which I adore --sweet and just a little bit spicy). And the most important part: It is quick and easy.

Lime Chicken Tacos
*Yields 12 tacos

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 lime juiced
1 Tablespoon chili power
1 teaspoon creole seasoning (optional)
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup chunky salsa (Newman's Own with Pineapple!)
12 flour tortillas

Toppings (optional): sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce

Place chicken in a 3-qt slow cooker. Pour lime juice, chili powder, and creole seasoning (if using) over the chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Remove chicken, cool slightly, shred, and return to the slow cooker. Stir in corn and salsa. Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve in tortillas with toppings.

Corn-breaded Chicken Tenders with Asian Slaw

Tonight's dinner didn't go as smoothly as possible. This new recipe from Simple and Delicious has you dip the chicken tenders in ranch dressing and then into corn-muffin mix before pan frying. This combination tasted great- the ranch seasoned the chicken and the corn-muffin mix adds a sweetness. However, the coating came off very easily and burnt to the bottom of my pan. Next time I make this I will try coating the chicken in flour first.

The Asian Slaw on the other hand, is a great dish that I have made about once a week since I first tried it at a family reunion. My aunt made this and I find it to be the perfect summer treat. Yes it has sugar in it, but I feel healthier when I eat it. Did I mention how great it tastes and how easy it is to make?

Corn-breaded Chicken Tenders
1/4 cup corn bread/muffin mix
3 Tablespoons ranch dressing
6 Chicken tenderloins
2 teaspoons olive oil

Place cornbread mix and ranch dressing in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in dressing, then roll in corn-muffin mix. In a skillet, cook chicken in oil over medium heat for 3 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

*Serves two

Asian Slaw
1 package coleslaw mix (or make your own--shred green and red cabbage and some carrots)
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 package uncooked Ramon noodles --broken into small pieces
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup Olive oil

Mix coleslaw mix, almonds, sunflower seeds, and uncooked noodles together. In a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients and whisk together until blended. Just before you are about to serve pour the sauce over coleslaw mix and toss to combine.

Molasses Crinkles

It has been forever since my last post, that is what I get for taking 18 credit hours at college and having a part time job. Finally, school is over (at least for the summer) and I have been itching to get back in the kitchen.

I have been reading Joanne Fluke novels. They revolve around a baker who solves murder mysteries. Sounds awesome right? The best part is that she gives you recipes throughout the book. I have only tried two recipes, but so far they both have been amazing. The Molasses Crackles come from her book the Strawberry Shortcake Mystery. Don't worry, I will hopefully be adding the strawberry shortcake recipe soon.

These cookies came out of the oven perfect. They were nice and golden, chewy, and sparkling with sugar. They have a very mild taste, kinda like a ginger cookie minus the ginger. My boyfriend described them as tasting similar to a graham cracker or a teddy graham.

These cookies are best fresh from the oven. By the second day they are still delicious, but they loose some of the softness and chewiness. Next time I make these, I am going to amp up the spices a bit. They were just a bit too mild for my taste.

Molasses Crinkles
*I cut this recipe in half and ended up with just shy of 2 dozen cookies.

1 1/2 cups melted butter (3 sticks)
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 cups of flour

extra sugar for rolling dough in

Melt butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Stir in sugar and molasses. Add eggs, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, stirring after each addition. Add flour one cup full at a time. The dough will be quite stiff and glossy.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll chilled dough into walnut-sized balls (this may seem like a big size, but they form the perfect sized cookie). Put some sugar in a small bowl and roll the balls in it. Placed dough balls on a greased baking sheet (6 to a sheet) and press them down with the back of a spatula (or turner). ---Just a little, not too much!---

Bake for 8-10 minutes. They will flatten out all by themselves. Let cool for 2 minutes on the cookies sheet and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.

*My boyfriend sampling*

Swiss Buttercream

I am ashamed to say that yesterday I baked a cake mix cake: Fun-fetti flavor. But, I can proudly say that I made my own icing: Swiss buttercream icing.

This icing was a bit more difficult to make than my regular confectioner's sugar blend. However, it was well worth it. It wasn't overly sweet as many icings tend to be and it had a nice smooth and spreadable consistency.

Note: This icing is not very sweet. It would be better on a cake with a sweetened fruit filling.
I went a bit crazy decorating this cake, so that is why in the pictures it looks as if a clown sneezed on it. Sorry. I promise to make a nice respectable looking cake in the future.

Swiss Buttercream
* This recipe is taken from one of my favorite food blogs smittenkitchen


For a 9-inch cake
1 cup sugar
4 large egg whites
26 tablespoons butter, softened (3 sticks plus 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions 
Whisk egg whites and sugar together in a big metal bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisk occasionally until you can’t feel the sugar granules when you rub the mixture between your fingers.

Transfer mixture into the mixer and whip until it turns white and about doubles in size.
Add the vanilla.

Finally, add the butter a stick at a time and whip, whip, whip.

Tomato Soup

I have had a favorite tomato soup recipe for a couple or years now. It is delicious, warm, and comforting. My favorite tomato soup is Tyler Florance's Ultimate Roasted Tomato Soup. It roasts the tomatoes in the oven which leaves a wonderful and homey taste. This is not Tyler's recipe. This is Jamie Oliver's recipe. I found it while going though a stack of recipes. And you know what? Tyler has some competition.

Yes, Tyler roasts... but Jamie's is a tad easier--and his is full of vegetables. It is thicker with a little bit of carrot, onion, garlic, and chunks of tomato to bite into. Yes... tomato soup should be smooth like Campell's, but trust me chunks add flavor and filling.

Jamie Oliver's Tomato Soup

* like always I have adapted somethings to make it easier

The recipe says it serves 4, but it made much more for me. Like 7-8. This is a good thing though because soup is the prefect thing to reheat for lunch and nights you are too lazy to make anything else. 

Ingredients

1 onion, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

1 carrot, coarsley gratted--- I put a hand ful of baby carrots in the food processor

Handful of fresh basil leaves

olive oil

6 Tablespoons of heavy cream

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

2 egg yolks

2lbs canned diced tomatoes

5 cups of chicken broth

salt and pepper

Directions

Put onion, garlic, carrot, and basil stalks into a large pot with olive oil. Cover the pan, and simmer gently for 20 minutes without coloring.

In another bowl whisk together cream, vinegar, and egg yolks. Set aside.

Once the vegetables are soft add the tomatoes and stock. Simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes.

At this point puree the soup with either a handheld blender of a food processor. Once the soup has been pureed pour it back in the pan and bring it back to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

Just before serving , add the egg and cream mixture. This will give the soup a shine and silky texture.

Apple Crumble

In high school I entered an apple pie baking contest.  I placed third, out of at least 50 entries. Sadly, the recipe I used was lost. I have kicked myself for losing that recipe. It was a combination of several recipes, my own flare, brandy, and homemade caramel.

Going though my huge stack of recipies I found a new apple pie recipe. This crumble with its buttery topping and cream cheese bottom is a new favorite recipe. It may not be as good as that 3rd place pie, but it is pretty close.

Apple (Pear) Crumble
adapted from kraft desserts


* I didn't have any pears so I used 2 extra apples. But I am excited to try this recipe again with pears

Ingredients
3/4 cup crushed Nilla wafers (about 24) ** I used leftover snickerdoodles, it was wonderful
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 Ready to use pie crust
4 oz of cream cheese, softened
2 large baking apples, peeled sliced thinly
1 large fresh pear, peeled sliced thinly
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Whipped cream (optional)


Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a food processor blend cookies, brown sugar, and butter until well blended.

Spread cream cheese onto the bottom of the pie crust, sprinkle half of the crumb mixture on top. Set aside.

Combine fruit in a large bowl. Add sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Toss to coat. Pour fruit mixture into pie pan. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.

Bake for 25 minutes or until brown. Cover with foil after 15 minutes if necessary. Serve with whipped cream.

Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy

I'm not a big fan of sausage, but this recipe looked delicious in Jamie Oliver's Cook book. Jamie did not disappoint, this meal was even better than the picture.

Bangers and Mash with Onion Gravy
Adopted from Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

Ingredients
4 sausages ( I used Italian)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
dash of sage
dash of rosemary
olive oil
2 Tablespoon of honey 
5 1/2lb potatoes, peeled and cut into uniform pieces
1/2 cup grits
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 Tablespoons stone ground mustard
salt and pepper-- to taste
1 1/2 cups water
1 stick of butter
2 medium onions
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
splash of red wine
2 beef bouillon cubes

Directions 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place sausages in a small baking pan that has sides. Sprinkle garlic, sage, rosemary, olive oil, and honey over top. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until brown. Rotate sausages and bake an additional 10 minutes or until browned on all sides. 

To make the mash bring  potatoes to a boil and cook until they are fork tender. Drain and mash with heavy cream, mustard, salt, pepper, and 5 Tablespoons of butter. In another bowl make grits by bringing 1 1/2 cups of water to a boil and by adding the grits and cheese. When the grits have finished cooking add the mash potatoes. 

To make the onion gravy fry the onions really slow in a little oil, covered, for about 15 minutes until soft. Remove the lid, turn the heat up and as soon as the onions become golden brown, pour in the red wine and vinegar and boil until it almost disappears. Turn the heat down again and add the remaining 3 Tablespoons of butter. Crumble in the bouillion cubes and 2 1/2 cups of water and stir well. Let this simmer until you have a nice gravy consistency. 

To serve, dollop some oozy potatoes on the plate, chop up the sausage and place on top of the potatoes, and top it all off with the onions. 

*** For more vegetables I added canned green beans under the mashed potatoes