2010
02.21
Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »
Looking for something to do with thighs and I figure if this was good enough to win little Ellie Mathews a million bucks back in 1998 it was good enough to use up some well meaning but soon to be tossed out chicken.
Update to see how it went
Ingredients
- 1 cup uncooked couscous or rice
- water
- 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 8 chicken thighs, skin removed
- 1 cup of your favorite crappy jarred salsa
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons dried currants or raisins
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions
- Cook couscous in water as directed on package. Cover to keep warm.
- Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook almonds in oil 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. With slotted spoon, remove almonds from skillet; set aside.
- Add garlic to skillet; cook and stir 30 seconds. Add chicken; cook 4 to 5 minutes or until browned, turning once.
- In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Add to chicken; mix well. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is fork-tender and juices run clear. Stir in almonds. Serve chicken mixture with couscous.
Hiya Ellie!
2010
02.17
Posted in Mexican | No Comments »
This is a lazy version of creamy enchiladas with a chipotle twist and a wall of cheese.
Ingredients
- 3 chicken breasts, about 1.5 lbs
- Water (you have that right?)
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp Adobo Sauce (from the can)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3-4 Chipotle Chiles from a can, seeds removed (your hiney will thank you later), diced
- 1 cup heavy cream (I know right?)
- Pack o’corn tortillas (you will need about 18)
- Wall of cheese. Some might go for a nice 8 oz. I shred off the huge block I got from Costco until I feel the dish is sufficiently…cheesy.
- Your fav toppings. I like sliced avocado and maybe some Crema.
Directions
- Boil the chicken in salted water for about 15 minutes until cooked. Reserve 2 cups of the liquid. Shred the chicken.
- Heat the butter and add flour and cook until brown, about a minute, to kill the raw flour taste.
- Slowly whisk in the 2 cups of chicken stock until well mixed.
- Add the Adobo sauce and let sit on low while you do the next part.
- In a pan add the olive oil and saute the onions, garlic and chipotle until soft.
- Add the cream and onion “stuff” to the broth mixture and simmer on low for about 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. OK now I know you are thinking there will be some tortilla frying and rolling etc. Well, that is why these are lazy, so what you are going to do is put a few spoons of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, drop in 6 tortillas, flat. Add a nice amount of chicken and cheese and drizzle on some more sauce. Add another layer of tortillas, chicken, cheese and sauce and finally top with 6 more tortillas. Add the remainder of the sauce and cheese to the top.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes with the dish covered in foil to lock in all that moisture. Pop the foil and broil for about 5 more minutes to brown the cheese and crisp any exposed tortilla-age.
- Top and serve.
2010
02.07
Tags: cake, chocolate
Posted in Cakes, Desserts | 1 Comment »
So what do you do when you are totally stir crazy and about to be trapped in your house for the duration of what promises to be a very snowy super bowl weekend? Bake some freakin chocolate cake man!! This recipe was pilfered from a well worn article torn from a “Healthy Living” magazine of an indeterminable age that the object of my eye completely and utterly swears by. So here goes:
Ingredients
For the Cake
- Vegie oil cooking spray
- 1 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup light olive oil (orig recipe is sunflower oil)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp distilled white vinegar
For the Glaze
- 2 oz dark chocolate (preferably 70% cacao), finely chopped
- 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
- 2 tbsp water
Directions
- For the cake: Preheat oven to 375°. Coat an 8 inch round cake pan with spray.
- Whisk water and cocoa in a small bowl until smooth. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Add cocoa mixture, oil, vanilla. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in vinegar. Pour into a pan.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. About 30-35 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of cake, invert it onto rack, and turn the cake right side up. Let cool completely. Transfer cake to a serving plate or cake stand.
- For the glaze: Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Whisk together sugar and water until smooth. Add melted chocolate in a slow, steady stream, whisking until thickened, about 1 minute. Immediately pour glaze onto center of cooled cake. Using an off set spatula, gently spread glaze over top and sides. Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days. Haha! As if it would last that long!