Chicken Chorizo Zucchini Stir Fry

Ingredients

• ½ red onion, chopped (I use white if I don't have red)
• ½ chopped cilantro
• 4 large zucchini, cut into 1/3 inch cubes
• 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped (green is okay if that's all you have)
• 6-8 oz. Mexican chorizo (This is spicy! Add less until you know how spicy you like it, say 3-4 oz.)
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
• 1 Tb. oil, if needed
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Brown the chorizo for 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken until warmed through. Remove the chorizo and chicken, and set aside.
2. Add the onions to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add the zucchini, red pepper and a tablespoon of oil if needed. Sauté for 2-3 minutes, until just cooked, but not mushy. Salt and pepper to taste. Then add the protein back in.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately!

Got recipe from here: http://punchfork.com/r?url=http%3A%2F%2Faspicyperspective.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fchicken-chorizo-no-potato-hash.html

Pavlova 2

This makes a small size pavlova for 4-6 people. Double the mix for a good family size pavlova.

 PAVLOVA
2 egg whites (large eggs)
1 ½ cup sugar (C&H is finest)
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
4 tablespoons boiling water

Put in a bowl and beat until peaks form and are very very stiff.
Bake at 300° for 10 min & 200° for 1 hour.
Top with freshly whipped cream , strawberries, kiwi and passionfruit.
Tips:
Leave in oven to cool, do not open oven door during cooking. Put on lightly greased foil covered flat tray. Heap the mixture in center as high as you can, use spatula to raise the sides as high as you can make them. Make sure no egg shells get in and make sure bowl is freshly cleaned and dried.

Recipe from Annette Smith who got it from Barbara Baker, both Aussies

Skillet Mac and Cheese from America's Test Kitchen

3 1/2 c. water
1 (12 ox) can evaporated Milk
3 cups elbow macaroni
salt and pepper
1 tsp corn starch
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp hot sauce
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded monterey Jack cheese
3 TB butter

Bring 3 1/2 cups water, 1 cup evap milk, macaroni and 1/2 tsp salt to simmer in skillet over high heat, stirring often until Mac is tender. Whisk remaining 1/2 cup evap milk, cornstarch, mustard and tobasco together then stir into skillet. Continue to simmer until thickened, about 1 min.
Remove from heat, stir in chesses one handful at a time--add additional water as needed to adjust sauce consistency. Stir in butter and season with salt and pepper.

Baked Chicken with a Ritz Crust

3-4 chicken breasts (2 big ones)
Ritz crackers, crushed
Italian seasoning and any other seasoning you like to add flavor
Salt and pepper


Fillet and cut chicken in to smaller pieces about 1/2"-3/4" thick and 2-3 inches across. In a bowl add crushed ritz crackers and all the seasonings you'd like. Salt and pepper chicken directily, then dip into bowl with ritz crackers and completely cover. Put chicken in 9x9 dish and bake at 350 for 20 or so minutes until done.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups onion, diced
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
2 cloves garlic
2 1/4 cups shredded cheese (I used a blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and monterey jack), divided
1/3 cup chives, snipped
4 large yukon gold potatoes (any kind will do), skins on, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For sauce, melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, then add diced onion until soft. Next, stir in flour thoroughly into the onions and add the mil and garlic. Stir sauce over medium/high heat until it bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of grated cheese. Set aside.

Next, spray 9x9 with pam. Add a single layer of potato slices in the bottom of the dish, followed by a sprinkling of snipped chives and a spoonful or two of the cheese sauce. Add another layer and repeat until potatoes are used up. Pour the sauce (most will still be left) over the potatoes and shake a little to get the sauce to ooze down. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheese on top and another sprinkling of chives. Place on cookie sheet in case it bubbles over (mine didn't) and bake for 60 minutes until brown and bubbly.

Recipe from familyfeedbag.com

Chocolate Chip Cookies (from Brooke S)

1/2 cup shortening
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 pack vanilla instant pudding (large or small)
1 bag chocolate chips

Blend shortening, butter, and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs.
In seperate bowl mix flous, salt, baking soda, and vanilla. Mix with sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Marinara Sauce (from Kathy)

Use about 20 tomatoes
In a food processor (or I grate them), I process the tomatoes. Then I cook them down until they get quite thick. It can take 4-6 hours depending on how many I have. I add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning to taste.

In a large frying pan, I saute, in olive oil, two large onions that have been chopped into pieces.  When they are about half way cooked, I add a lot of sliced mushrooms that have been sliced. When the onions and mushrooms are just about cooked, I add some grated garlic, salt, and Pepper to taste. Saute together for a minute of two and remove from heat.

In the bottom of a large pot, I brown 2 pounds of hamburger, or 1 pound of hamburger and one pound of pork or veal. Season with seasoning salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste. When the meat is browned. Add the tomatoes and the onion mixture and heat through together.

To this I add one, two or all, depending on my mood and how things are tasting to me: large container of any kind of Prego Spaghetti sauce, 2-15oz cans of Italian stewed tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar, water.

Sometimes I leave out the meat and add fresh cooked or steamed veggies. I don't cook them in the spaghetti sauce because it makes the sauce too watery.

Bowtie Pasta Salad (From Brooke S.)

16 oz bow tie pasta cooked and cooled
1 bag baby spinach leaves
1 red bell pepper sliced
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1 large can mandarin oranges drained
2 cooked seasoned chicken breasts chopped (omit this if you want vegetarian)
1/2 cup sugared pecans
Poppy seed dressing

Lightly mix ingredients together in salad bowl.

Poppy seed dressing1 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 c sugar
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1 TB minced onion
1 TB poppy seed
Blend ingredients together in a blender or food processor for 2 minutes.  Dressing will be thick.

Sugared pecans1 cup pecans
1 TB orange juice
3 TB sugar

Heat the juice and 2 TB of sugar in small fry pan.  Add the nuts and stir gently for 2 minutes until the juice is absorbed.  Transfer to small bowl.  Add the rest of the sugar.  Spread nuts on foil on cookie sheet.  Bake at 375 for 8 minutes.  Cool and store in fridge.

Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting

Ingredients

3 sticks + 2 tablespoons (375 grams/13 ounces) unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

3 cups sifted (480 grams/1 lb + 1 ounce) confectioners’ sugar (icing, powdered)

3 tablespoons (45 mL) milk

1 vanilla bean, scraped

1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract — I use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

pinch of salt

Method

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter for 8 minutes on medium speed (I use “4″ on my KitchenAid). Butter will become very pale & creamy.

2. Add remaining ingredients and mix on low speed for 1 minute, then on medium speed for 6 minutes. Frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy.

3. Best used right away.

4. You can eliminate the vanilla bean and use a total of 1 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.

Fluffy Vanilla Cake

Yield: One 2-layer, 8-inch round cake

Ingredients

5 large egg whites (5 ounces/150 grams) at room temperature

3/4 cup whole milk (180 mL/6 liquid ounces), at room temperature

2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (9 grams) — I use Nielsen-Massey Vanillas 8-oz. Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract

2 3/4 cups cake flour, sifted (11 ounces/315 grams)

1 3/4 cups sugar (12 ounces/350 grams)

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder (19.5 grams)

3/4 teaspoon salt (5 grams)

12 tablespoons unsalted butter (6 ounces/170 grams), at room temperature and cut into cubes

Method
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease, line with parchment, and flour two round 8-inch pans.
2. In a medium bowl or measuring cup, combine and stir the egg whites, 1/4 cup of milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed (I use the “stir” setting on my mixer) for 30 seconds.
4. Add the butter and remaining 1/2 cup of milk, and mix on low speed until just moistened. Increase to medium speed and mix for 1 1/2 minutes.
5. Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 separate batches; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition.
6. Divide the batter in two, spreading it evenly with a small offset palette knife. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh to ensure 2 even layers.
7. Bake 25-35 minutes or until a cake tester comes clean when inserted into the center. Be so careful to not overbake. Check cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and once you feel it’s almost ready, set the timer for 2 minute intervals. Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small metal spatula, and invert onto greased wire racks. Gently turn cakes back up, so the tops are up and cool completely.
8. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days, refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Best eaten the same day as baked.

from sweetapolita.com