Enchiladas and Spanish Rice

Chicken Enchiladas

7 Chicken Tenders

1 Bell Pepper, chopped

1 Onion, chopped

2 Tbsp Garlic

1 tsp Cumin

1 1/2 tsp Chili Powder

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

2 Tbsp Lime Juice

Olive Oil for pan

1 can Black Beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cup Chunky Salsa

1/4 Cup Cilantro, Chopped

10 Tortillas

1 Recipe Enchilada Sauce (see below)

1 cup shredded cheese of choice

1. Thinly coat a large skillet with olive oil. Saute garlic, peppers, onion, chicken, cumin, chili powder and red pepper flakes.

2. When chicken is no longer pink, finely chop or shred. (Shredding takes more time, but allows the flavors to be combined better) I find it easiest to shred chicken with two forks. Use one fork to hold the chicken and the other to pull it apart.

3. In a bowl, combine chicken, pepper, onion, black beans, salsa, and cilantro.

4. Spray non-stick spray on a 13X9.

5. Using a heaping tablespoon of enchilada sauce, coat the outside of each tortilla. Lay the tortilla down (sauce down), fill and roll. Repeat 9 times!

6. Sprinkle shredded cheese on and cover tightly with foil

7. Bake 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Spanish Rice

1 cup brown rice

1 can diced tomatoes with chipotle

2 cups of water (I used the juice from the tomatoes as part and the rest water)

2 heaping tbsp of enchilada sauce (see recipe below)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped (if you use an orange bell pepper it looks like carrots and is kind of a turn off!!!!!!! See picture above if you don't beleive me!)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1. Add all ingredients together and bring to a boil.

2. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 30 minutes or until rice is tender.

Enchilada Sauce (Thanks Pam!)

4 tbsp corn oil

6 tbsp flour

1 1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp salt

3 tbsp chili powder

1/8 tsp red pepper

3/4 tsp garlic powder

1. Mix the above ingredients together and cook 1 minute.
2. Add three cups of water and keep stirring until sauce has thickened to a thin gravy

Weeknight Lasagna Toss

Weeknight Lasagna Toss (modified from Kraftfoods.com)

Or as Matt likes to call it Lasagna Quick. His first comment was "Does this mean I get to eat lasagna more often?" And yes it does, this is a quick version of the old classic. It does have one problem as you can see it is not as pretty as regular lasagna (some of this has to do with my mad photography skills), but the taste is just right!

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 green peppers, chopped

1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 and 1/2 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce ( I like it saucy if you don't go with 1 jar!)
1-2/3 cups water
1/4 cup Northern Italian Light Dressing (or any other Italian dressing)

1 handful of chopped fresh basil (optional)

10 oven-ready lasagna noodles, broken into quarters

1-2 cups of ricotta or cottage cheese (depends on how much you like)
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

1. Brown meat, garlic, peppers and onions in large saucepan; drain.
2. Add spaghetti sauce, water, basil, and dressing; bring to boil. Stir in noodles; cover.
3. Cook on medium-low heat 20 to 25 min. or until noodles are tender, stirring occasionally (otherwise the noodles will stick together).

4. Add ricotta or fat free cottage cheese (for lower fat). Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover. Let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Substitute 10 regular lasagna noodles, broken into small pieces, for the oven-ready noodles. Increase water to 2 cups and cook approximately 40 min., stirring occasionally.

Oven Barbecued Ribs

I (Kelly) married a meat man and I am a carb girl. It has taken me 7 years, but I am slowly getting the hang of it. I am no grill master, but even I can handle these! Cooking these ribs in the oven first helps to get them nice and tender (without me burning them on the grill) and then grilling them for a few minutes on each side gives it the taste of a slow cooked rib on the grill! I have to say that the picture does not do this justice. I got the ribs so tender the meat fell off the bone, before I could get a picture. Matt and Brayden will give there recommendation on this, because it is there new favorite meal!


2-3 pounds rib slab
Approximately 2 tablespoons Adam's Brisket Rub (I bought it at Walmart)
Barbecue Sauce (I use KC Masterpiece)

1. Create a large sheet of aluminum foil by double folding the edge of two sheets a little longer than your rib slab. In the end you should have a square.
2. Place ribs on foil and generously rub ribs with brisket rub. Flip over and repeat.
3. Fold over foil and tightly seal with the double fold again. The tighter it is the less juices escape and the more tender it will be.
4. Bake in a 250 degree oven for 3 hours or if you have less time a 275 degree oven for 2 hours. 5. Remove from oven and discard foil.
6. Generously baste both sides with barbecue sauce of your choice.
7. Preheat and spray grill with non stick grilling spray.
8. Cook ribs on low heat for approximately 5 minutes on each side. This will give them the flavor of the grill.

Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

I (Sunny) have really been trying to be good, but have really been wanting to make cookies. I even told Brayden the other day at the store we could make cookies but all he wanted was the store bought ones, I know it was because he knew that he could eat them in the car instead of waiting. (He is defiantly my child - patients and sweets don't go together.) Any way this is one of my new favorite recipes. It is packed with flavor without being to much. Any recipe that has Paula Deen's name on it you know has to be good, BUTTER and the brown butter icing is awesome!!!
Please enjoy and maybe you can make some and bring me one, it makes 5 dozen!

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Prep Time: 15 min
Level: Easy
Serves: about 5 dozen

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal
1 cup raisins
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 1 or more cookie sheets. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, shortening, and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and beat until mixture is light in color. Add buttermilk. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; stir into creamed mixture. Fold in oatmeal, raisins, walnuts, and vanilla, blending well. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Drizzle with Brown Butter


Brown Butter Icing:
1/2 cup butter
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan heat the butter over medium heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in 3 cups sifted powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in enough water (3 to 4 tablespoons) to make an icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle on warm cookies.
Yield: 5 dozen cookies

Couple of baking tips:

• If you ever have a recipe that is not very specific in the directions. Remember to mix all of the wet ingredients first then add dry ingredients. This helps you not have unmixed powder at the bottom of the bowl and the egg (when called for) is good and beaten.
• If a recipe like the one above calls for buttermilk you can add vinegar to regular milk. This is great because I never need enough buttermilk to actually buy it. Also you are able to you 1% or 2% milk for less fat.

Lemon Cake

Sunny and I made a lemon cake. It may not be the prettiest, but for my first cake decorating experience I think I did pretty good job.

Rating: This recipe is definitely a repeat. Nice lemon flavor all throughout without being to overwhelming.

Lemon Cake (modified yellow cake recipe from Wilton.com)

Ingredients:
3 cups sifted cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
2/3 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Zest of 1 lemon
Lemon juice of one medium sized lemon
1 1/4 cups milk

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour bottom of two 9-inch round cake pans. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Cream sugar and butter together until light. Add eggs, zest, lemon juice, and vanilla to creamed mixture and beat until thoroughly mixed. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Continue beating one minute. Spread batter evenly in prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely.

Lemon Filling (Wilton.com)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold water
2 egg yolks slightly beaten
1 teaspoon lemon peel grated
juice of a medium lemon
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Makes: 1 cup.

Instructions:
Hint: Get all your ingredients ready before you begin. Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a small saucepan. Gradually add water and whisk until well blended. Whisk in egg yolks, lemon peel and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until thick and bubbly. Boil one minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cool to room temperature, without stirring.

Lemon Buttercream Icing (modified from buttercream icing Wilton.com)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine softened
1 tbsp lemon extract
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar (approximately 1 lb.)
2 tablespoons milk
Makes: About 3 cups of icing.

Instructions:
In large bowl, cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add extract. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk and lemon juice and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. Keep bowl covered with a damp cloth until ready to use.
For best results, keep icing bowl in refrigerator when not in use. Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Rewhip before using.

Lessons Learned:

Save some thick consitency icing for decorations. Warm hands holding the bag on medium constistency icing is a bad idea! Having two bags of icing going at a time would be helpful. One to keep in the refridgerator and one to work with.