Heavenly Bread Pudding

INGREDIENTS (see also sauce below)

6 large croissants (Costco)

8 large eggs

1 c. sugar

3 c. heavy cream

2 tsps. vanilla bean paste (available at Williams and Sonoma, but regular vanilla can be substituted)

DIRECTIONS

Butter a 9x13 dish.  Slice the croissants in half lengthwise.  Layer half of croissants, crust-side down, in bottom of pan, then layer the other half, crust-side up, on top.  In a bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar; then whisk in the cream and vanilla paste.  Pour slowly over the croissants and smash down with a spoon and allow to soak for 10 minutes.  Place the 9x13 pan inside a larger pan for a water bath fill the outside pan with water ¾ full and bake at 350 for 1 ½ hours (check the pudding after 1 hour 15 minutes and take out of oven if it is golden brown).  Make sure the eggs are all cooked.

Dish into bowls and pour a couple spoonfuls of sauce on top.  Sprinkle with raspberries, boysenberries, etc.  (I get the Costco berry mix in the frozen food section and add some sugar.). Serve warm or at room temperature.

**I covered the pudding the first half of the bake time with tinfoil. I tented it and cut a few holes in it to allow steam to escape like Ina suggests in her bread pudding recipe.

**You can add raisins, nuts, chocolate, coconut etc to the pudding. Just place it between the two croissant pieces (make sure it is covered or it may burn)

SAUCE

1 cube butter

1 c. sugar

½ c. heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter in small saucepan and add other ingredients.  Stir on medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved.  Do not boil.

Locro de Zapallo (squash or pumpkin stew)

Ingredients:
-1 small onion finely chopped
-1 garlic clove finely chopped
-1TBS olive oil
-1 TBSP Mexican hot sauce (I used Valentina brand, since that is what I had in hand)
-3 lbs. Banana squash, butternut squash ,any yellow almost orange squash or even Halloween pumpkin chopped in small 1/2 inch squares
-1 potato chopped in 1/2 inch squares
-1/2 cup frozen corn
-1/2 cup frozen peas
-1/2 cup queso fresco crumbled or you may use mozzarella cheese
-1/4 cup milk (optional)
Garnish with chopped cilantro

Directions:
Saute onion, garlic and Mexican hot sauce in olive oil until onions are soft. Add chopped squash, stir, add 1 cup of water and let cook in medium heat for 45 minutes to an hour stirring every 15 minutes until squash is soft (press squash against pot). When squash is soft add  potatoes, frozen corn and peas, let cook for 20 minutes or until potato is cooked. Add cheese once everything is cooked, stir and the squash is supposed to look mushy but if it is too thick you may add the milk. Garnish each serving with cilantro and serve with warm white rice.

Oven Roasted Potatoes with Bacon

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb hickory smoked, thick sliced bacon
3 1/2 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
coarse salt
fresh ground pepper
fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 425 and put a big pot of water on to boil.
Peel and chop into mouth-size pieces. Place in pot of water and boil about 10 min, until just barely fork tender. Meanwhile cut bacon into about 1/2 inch pieces prior to cooking, then cook until golden but not crunchy. 
Next, prepare the baking sheet by brushing 1 tablespoon of olive oil and half the bacon drippings on the bottom of the pan. Place in 425° oven for 35-40 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°, turn potatoes over and sprinkle with the bacon, garlic, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Add more salt and pepper if desired.  Return to oven for an additional 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are evenly browned and cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh parsley.  Makes 4-6 servings, depending on serving size. Serve immediately!

 Recipe from myadventuresinthecountry.com.

Porcupine Meatballs

Ingredients:
Meatballs
-1 1/2 lbs ground beef
-2 Tbs chopped onion
-1 tsp seasoned salt
-1/2 tsp pepper
-1-2 tsp oregano, basil or any other spice desired for flavor
-2-3 cups cooked rice
Sauce
-1 can tomato soup
-1 can water

Directions:
Mix meatball ingredients together. Shape into balls and place in a deep skillet or 9x13 pan. Mix sauce and heat to boiling. Pour over meat. Cover. Cook over low heat 1 hour or bake 325 degrees F for 1 hour. Serve over plain rice. Freeze meatballs for a quick freezer meal.

Slow-Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

4 to 5 pound chicken

For the seasoning rub:
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 sprigs thyme, leaves stripped and minced

For the cooking liquid:
2 lemons, quartered
1 head garlic, cloves separated, but left in their skins
2 chicken bouillon cubes or 1 teaspoon bouillon paste, divided (optional for richer flavor)
2 sprigs thyme
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 sprigs rosemary

For the gravy:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Remove the bag of gizzards and discard (or reserve for stock). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.

Mix all the seasoning ingredients together in a bowl. Gently work your fingers under the skin covering the breast meat and slide them back and forth to separate the skin from the meat without tearing it. Scoop up a dollop of the seasoning and work it under the skin covering both breasts. Rub any remaining seasoning over the drumsticks and thighs. Transfer the chicken to the slow cooker, breast-side up.

Squeeze and reserve the juice from one of the lemons. Stuff the rinds into the cavity of the chicken along with one whole bouillon cube and a few garlic cloves. Crumble the other bouillon cube over the chicken and rub it into the skin. Arrange the remaining lemon quarters, the rest of garlic cloves, and the thyme around the chicken. Combine the reserved lemon juice, the soy sauce, and the broth, and pour it over the chicken.

Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high heat for 4 to 6 hours. Thirty minutes or so before the time is done, add the rosemary sprigs.

Remove chicken from the slow-cooker and allow it to rest on a baking sheet, tented with foil, for about 20 minutes. The wings and drumsticks may fall away as you lift the chicken; this is normal.

While the chicken is resting, strain the cooking liquid into a sauce pan and bring to a rapid simmer. Scoop out a half cup of the liquid and whisk it with the flour in a separate bowl. Slowly pour the flour slurry back into the cooking liquid while whisking. Continue simmering and whisking until the gravy thickens. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

When ready to serve, remove the skin from the chicken and discard. Use your fingers to pull the meat away off the bones; it should come away easily with gentle pressure or use a knife as needed. Serve the breasts, thighs, and drumsticks right away and tear the remaining meat into shreds for using in leftovers. Serve with the gravy alongside.

NOTES:

I just did this with some chicken breasts for easiness

Rosemary tends to get bitter if cooked for too long. Adding it in the last half hour of cooking helps give the dish rosemary flavor without the bitterness.

Cooking times longer than 6 hours are not recommended. With longer cooking, the chicken bones start to become too soft, making it difficult to separate the meat and get a good gravy

Green enchiladas

Ingredients:
-24 corn tortillas
-2 chicken breast (cooked and shredded)
-15 small tomatillos or 10 big ones
-1/3 bunch cilantro
-1 garlic clove
-1/4 onion divided
-Salt to taste
-1 cup queso fresco, cotija or feta cheese crumbled
-1 red bell pepper chopped
OPTIONAL:
-1/2 cup onion
-1/2 cup frozen corn
-Sour cream




Instructions:
Boil tomatillos in water(should cover tomatillos) for 5 minutes or until tomatillos change color. Blend tomatillos, cilantro, garlic, onion, and salt to taste.
To assemble enchilada: fry corn tortillas in just a little bit of oil so the tortillas can get soft (you can also just warm it up in the microwave but it doesn't taste as good).
Fold corn tortilla and add cooked chicken inside of it. After you are done assembling the enchiladas, pour the tomatillos sauce on top of enchiladas.
To garnish enchilada: sprinkle queso fresco or cotija or feta cheese on top, chop red bell peppers, chop onions, corn and/or sour cream.
Serve enchiladas with white rice. I put on my enchiladas cheese and red bell peppers. It is so delicious!

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.