Green Enchilada Sauce

Green Enchilada Sauce (Kate's Knockoff Cafe Rio Recipe)
Recipe by Our Best Bites

2-3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, minced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 green peppers, chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and membranes removed if desired (and I desire. Always.)
1 1/2 lb. tomatillos, husked and quartered or halved
1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
4 c. chicken broth
2-3 Tbsp. sugar (optional and to taste; the sauce Cafe Rio uses seems to be slightly sweet, so if I'm using this sauce for enchilada-style burritos, I generally add a little sugar, but for everything else, I leave it out.)

In a large saucepan or stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender and fragrant.

While onions are sauteeing, combine tomatillos, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro in your blender. Process until smooth; you may have to do it in batches and/or add some chicken broth to make things blendable.

Pour the tomatillo mixture over the onions and garlic and add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cumin. Simmer 15 minutes-1 hour, depending on the consistency you want. I usually turn the heat to high and boil it uncovered until I reach the consistency I want; it makes things go a lot faster. The sauce can also be simmered in a slow cooker all day.

Serve over tacos, as an enchilada sauce, inside burritos, or as a dip for chips.

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce

Easy and quite delicious. The guiltless part helps too!

Guiltless Alfredo Sauce
2 C low-fat milk 
1/3 C (3 oz) low fat cream cheese
2 T flour
1 t salt
1 T butter
3 garlic cloves
1 C grated Parmesan cheese

Toss the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt in a blender.

Process until smooth and set aside.

In a non-stick sauce pan, melt butter on med-high heat and add garlic. Stand above the pan (but not close enough to scald your face) and inhale. Ahhh...butter and garlic. Okay, now get cooking again. Let the garlic saute for about 30 seconds, you don't want to burn it. It should be nice and bubbly like this:Then add milk mixture to the pan. Stir constantly for about 3 or 4 minutes or until it just comes to a simmer. Keep stirring and let it cook for a few minutes more. It should be much thicker now.

When it's nice and thickened remove the pan from the heat. Add the cheese, stir it up and then cover immediately. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before using. It will continue to thicken upon standing. Also, if you have leftovers in the fridge, the sauce will thicken almost into a solid. Just re-heat and add a little milk and it will be back to normal again.

Monte Cristo

B first tried one of these in Panama. I heard about them in him exec but they always sounded so weird. Be NOT afraid! Such a delightful combo of fruity, sweet and salty. The flour in the French toast makes it super smooth. 12/10

Monte Cristo Sandwich

Ingredients:White sandwich bread
Thin sliced deli ham
Swiss cheese, sliced
butter
2 eggs
1 C milk
2T flour
Strawberry Jam (or raspberry works too)
Powdered sugar
optional: dijon mustard or maple syrup

Whisk flour and milk and then add in eggs and whisk until well-blended and place in a shallow dish. Now this isn’t rocket science- basically you want to put the cheese and the meat on the inside of the bread, then dip both sides of the sandwich in the egg/milk mix, then grill in a hot buttered skillet until the bread is browned and toasty and the cheese inside is melted. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with Jam. Done.

However, I’ll tell you how I find it easiest to do. When I tried to build the sandwich first, and then dip it, it was hard to keep everything together and I had egg stuff dripping all over. Apparently I'm not as coordinated as Dawn is because that's how she did it and it looked effortless!

Soo...I dip one side of one piece of bread in the egg mixture and place in a hot, buttered skillet. Then immediately build the sandwich on the bread in the pan, starting with the cheese on the bottom, then meat, then cheese again. (This way, the cheese melts and "glues" the sandwich together.) Then I dip one side of the 2nd piece of bread in the egg and place it on top (egg side out).

Let the sandwich sizzle for a few minutes until the bread on one side is nice and brown, and flip.

To serve, slice in half and sprinkle with powdered sugar. I like it served with the classic strawberry jam. I place a little bowl on the side, but you can just grab a knife and slather some on the inside too. When I had these at my friend's house in addition to the jam, she also had maple syrup and Dijon mustard (not to be eaten together- just to pick one or the other!) So it’s really up to you and your preference.

Fluffy Pizza Crust

Seriously this pizza crust is the best ever! I do it in my bread machine and it turns out perfect! I love thick, dough like crust and this is it. 

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• Garlic Salt
• Pizza Seasonings
• 
  

• Directions

  1. In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
  2. Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
  3. Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out. Use for your favorite pizza recipe.
  4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
  5. Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.
  Note: I put all the wet ingredients and salt into the water 1st. Then I put in the flour and the yeast in a whole in the flour in the bread machine. I add the garlic salt and pizza seasonings while the dough is mixing. 

Cheesecake

Creamy Cheesecake
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites from A Pinch of Salt Lake

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese (NOT low-fat or fat-free), softened
3 eggs
1 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 c. sour cream (NOT low-fat or fat free)

CRUST:
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/3 c. white sugar
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375. Combine crust ingredients and very gently pat into the bottom of a 9"springform pan. Set aside.

Beat the softened cream cheese until smooth then add the eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Add in the sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract and beat on high for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides and making sure the mixture is completely smooth. Add the sour cream and mix well. Pour batter into pan and wrap the pan with aluminum foil or a turkey roasting bag. Place the wrapped pan into a larger baking or roasting pan and fill the larger pan with water so it comes up about 3/4 of the side of the springform pan.

Bake for 35 minutes or until filling is custard-like. The center shouldn't be completely set--it should kind of jiggle like firm Jello, but it shouldn't be liquidy, either. Just don't overbake. Turn off the heat and crack the oven and allow to stand for another 20 minutes or so. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 8 hours. DON'T remove springform sides until cake has set for 8 hours. Makes 10-12 (or more!) servings.

Strawberry Sauce

Click on picture for detailed instructions.

Navajo Tacos

Not always the healthiest but so good!

from Chocolate on my Cranium 
2 cups flour 
1 TBSP baking powder 
1 tsp. salt 
3/4 - 1 cup hot water 
oil for frying 

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in mixing bowl. Add the water a little at a time to make a soft dough. Knead a few times then let rest. You can actually let this rest for up to an hour but we cook them right away.

Pinch off balls of dough about the size of a golf ball. Roll out each ball on a floured surface with a rolling pin until dough is about 1/8 thick. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep pan to about 375 degrees. Fry dough one piece at a time until golden. Turn to cook other side. Drain on paper towels. If done correctly the fry bread will puff up with several bubbles in the dough. Makes about 7 pieces of fry bread.

Pile them high with chili or beans, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, sliced olives, diced tomatoes, sour cream, and salsa. For dessert you can slather them with honey and butter. YUM!

Chicken Pasta Bake

Also a Brandon favorite. He isn't a huge fan of broccoli so I do it with spinach and it's really good. An easy Alfredo. 12/10

1-1/2 cups small pasta (bow tie, rotini...)pasta, uncooked

1 small bunch broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) cream cheese, cubed

1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided

2 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

HEAT oven to 375ºF. Cook pasta in large saucepan as directed on package, adding broccoli for the last 3 min.
MEANWHILE, heat large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 min. or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Stir in broth; simmer 3 min. or until chicken is done. Add cream cheese; cook and stir on low heat 1 min. or until cream cheese is melted. Stir in 1/2 cup mozzarella.
DRAIN pasta and broccoli. Add to chicken mixture; mix lightly. Spoon into 8-inch sq. baking dish; cover.
BAKE 15 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses. Bake, uncovered, 3 min. or until melted. Let stand 5 min.
***the kraft recipe calls for 2 oz. cream cheese, but i like the sauce to be thicker, so i use 4 oz. changes shown above! :D

Chicken Cesar Wrap

These are so quick an easy. Can modify to whatever you like.

This really is not a recipe, but more of a lunch or dinner idea. I take a bag of salad mix and add caesar dressing and mix well. Then in warm tortillas, ( I use the kind that you cook) I add salad, chicken, and cheese and a little more dressing. I think that bits of bacon is yummy in this too. It is quick, easy and we love them!

New Blog to follow

 http://blanchardbistro.blogspot.com/ 

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 block Cream Cheese

1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese

3/4 cup chopped frozen Spinach-thawed, rinsed and drained

1 can Artichoke Hearts-rinsed, drained and chopped

1/4 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

salt and pepper

I chopped my artichoke hearts (just because I don't like the dip to chunky). Then boil for about 5 minutes the artichoke hearts and spinach. While that is boiling, in the microwave heat the cream cheese for about 1 minute. Then add the mozzarella, Parmesan, seasonings, and spinach and artichokes. Put in serving dish and bake in the oven at 375 for about 20-25 minutes. Serve with sliced baguette or tortilla chips.

Peanut Butter Bars

2 cubes butter

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups of graham crackers-finely crushed

2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups chocolate chips

Melt the butter and peanut butter together in microwave. Stir in powdered sugar and graham crackers. Press mixture in a 9 x 13 pan.

Melt chocolate chips in microwave. Spread on the peanut butter mixture.

Chill to make firm. Cut and serve cold or at room temperature.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

1 cup creamy peanut butter

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter or margarine, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixer bowl, beat peanut butter and butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla, and beat until creamy. Blend in flour and salt. Stir in 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Spread into ungreased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until edges begin to brown.

Immediately sprinkle remaining morsels over cookie layer. Let stand 5 minutes until morsels become shiny and soft. Spread the rest of the chocolate chips evenly over top. Cool completely. Makes 48 bars.

Asphalt Pie

Oreos
1/3 C. melted butter
1/2 gallon chocolate chip mint ice cream
Whip Cream
Carmel
Hot Fudge

* You will freeze between each layer.

Spray cooking spray in bottom of 9 x13 pan.

Set out ice cream to soften while you are making the crust.

Mix butter with 3/4 package of crushed Oreos and spread on bottom of pan.

Add carmel and then spread ice cream on top of Oreo layer.

Add whip cream layer.

Then top with carmel and hot fudge.

Poppyseed Chicken

Made this in good old Rexburg. B LOVES it! One of his requested things.

POPPY SEED CHICKEN

4-6 CHICKEN BREASTS BOILED AND CUBED
1 CAN CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP
1 C. SOUR CREAM
RITZ CRACKERS
½ CUBE BUTTER
1 TBSP. POPPY SEEDS

IN CASSEROLE DISH ,PLACE CUBED CHICKEN. HEAT SOUP AND SOUR CREAM TOGETHER BUT NOT TO BOILING. POUR OVER CHICKEN. MIX BUTTER, POPPY SEEDS AND CRACKERS TOGETHER AND SPRINKLE ON TOP OF SOUP MIXTURE. BAKE UNCOVERED AT 350 DEGREES FOR 30 MINUTES. SERVE OVER RICE.

Hawaiian Haystacks

We have been asked to share our Hawaiian Haystacks recipe with you. These are really easy to make and everyone is happy because they can add their own toppings.
It is not much of a recipe, more of just a how to.

I actually make Hawaiian Haystacks 2 different ways.

1. My favorite way to make them is with a homemade gravy and left over chicken. I cook a whole chicken in the crock pot and we will eat that for a meal. Then the next day, I will make a gravy from the drippings and add left over bits of chicken meat to the gravy to serve over the rice.

2. When I want to make Hawaiian Haystacks,but have not cooked a whole chicken. I just put chicken tenders in the crockpot and 2 cans of cream of chicken soup. I will let this cook on low for 4-6 hours and use this to serve over the rice.