Chile Verde

Ingredients:

• 3-4 lbs of pork trimmed of fat and cut into bite size chunks
• salt and pepper
• flour
• 3 T. oil
• 3 yellow onions diced
• 2 green bell peppers
• 2-3 jalapenos diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 1/2 lbs. tomatillos (roasted, then blended)
• 4 c. chicken stock
• 1 T. oregano
• 2 t. cumin
• 2 t. coriander
• 2 Anaheim or Poblano chiles (roasted, peeled, diced)
• 1 bunch cilantro (washed and chopped)
• 2 bay leaves

Directions:

• Wash, cut in half, stem and seed chiles.  Wash and cut in half tomatillos.  Place cut side down on greased baking sheet and broil till puffy and brown.  Wrap chiles in aluminum foil to steam for several minutes then peel and dice.  When cool, puree tomatillos in blender and set aside. 
• Season pork with salt and pepper and dredge in flour.  Heat oil 2 T. oil in large saucepan or dutch oven till the oil just begins to smoke.  Brown pork in batches on all sides till golden brown. Take pork out and set aside.  
• Add 1 T. of oil to pan and add onions, peppers, and jalapenos.  Cook till tender, scraping up browned bits from pork while stirring.
• Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds.
• Add tomatillo puree and chicken stock.
• Add spices, roasted chiles, and cilantro.
• Simmer for 3-4 hours.

This dish is a labor of love for it takes awhile to prepare.  I think I spend about 1 1/2 hours getting it prepared for simmering.  But we like it, so on occasion I make it.  We like to eat it with warmed corn tortillas and shredded jack cheese.

Nutella Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups 100% bran cereal
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 large egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray muffin pan or insert liners. (if using a dark pan, preheat to 375)
2. Combine the bran cereal and milk in a medium size bowl and let it stand for 10 minutes. After soaking, stir in the Nutella and vanilla.
3. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the bran mixture, butter, and egg and stir until just blended.
4. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes clean. 
5. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a cooling rack.
6. Makes 12 muffins.

Feather-Light Raised Waffles

If you have never tried overnight yeast waffles you are missing out.  They are fan-flipping-tastic!  Try them.  Try them now.  Especially with some frozen strawberry jam and whipped cream.  Oh yum!


Ingredients:

• 1 T. active dry yeast
• 1/2 c. warm water
• 2 c. milk
• 1 t. sugar
• 2 c. flour
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 c. oil
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 2 eggs

Directions:

1. In a large (batter will rise a lot) mixing bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water and let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add the milk, sugar, flour and beat until smooth.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the mixture stand overnight or for a few hours.
4. The next morning or whenever you want to cook the waffles, add the beaten eggs, the oil, the salt, and the baking soda (mixed with a bit of water).  Mix till smooth.

5 Minute Artisan Bread

 Ingredients:

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast or 2 (7 1/4 g) packets granulated yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt or 1 1/2 tablespoons other coarse salt
• 6 1/2 cups unsifted unbleached all-purpose flour

Directions: 

1. Loosely cover and let rise on counter for 2 hours.
2. Place in the fridge overnight.
3. Pull off a small cantaloupe size piece of dough and shape into ball.  The dough will be very wet and sticky so sprinkle liberally with flour to handle. 
4. Let rest for 40 minutes.
5. Bake at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  

 Go to this website for more detailed directions:  Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day basics.

I now use this dough for pizza crust, it makes the best homemade crust I have tried so far.  I either spread out with my hands using flour as needed or use a small rolling pin and spread it out on parchment paper.  Top with desired toppings and use an upside down baking sheet to transfer pizza to preheated pan in oven.  Bake at 500 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

Stroganoff

STROGANOFF

Gramma Mary

 

1.      Cut fat and junk from round steak and slice in very thin strips.

2.      Brown in fry pan with 2-3 sliced onions, salt and pepper and mushrooms if desired.

3.      Add one container sour cream and one can mushroom soup.

4.      Eat over egg noodles or rice.

Creamy Italian Chicken

CREAMY ITALIAN CHICKEN

Esther

 

4 boneless chicken breasts

½ cup water

1 pkg Italian dressing mix

1 can cream of chicken soup (don’t add milk)

1 (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese

 

Cook chicken, water, and dressing mix in a crock pot for 4 hours on LOW. Mix soup and cream cheese. Add to chicken in crock pot. Cook for 1 to 2 more hours on LOW. Eat over pasta or rice.

Chicken Noodle Soup

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Ralphie

 

The real deal, from scratch. It is A-MAZING.

 

1 rotisserie chicken

4 eggs

2 tsp. salt

2-3 C. flour (maybe more)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2-3 Tbsp. whipping cream (optional, but recommended)

Some chopped celery, carrots, and onions---as much or as little as you like

Salt and pepper to taste

 

1.      Remove as much of the chicken from the rotisserie chicken as possible, shredded into bite-sized pieces. Set aside, or refrigerate. Keep chicken remains.

2.      Put whatever remains of the rotisserie chicken (bones, skin, everything) in a pot of boiling water, high enough to cover the chicken. Boil for around 30 minutes. Strain chicken to remove bones, and reserve the leftover broth. Leave broth on stove at a low boil.

3.      In a medium bowl, mix the eggs with a fork. Add the 2 tsp. salt and stir. Add 2 C. flour. Knead until it isn’t sticky anymore, using more flour as necessary (~5-7 minutes). Dust counter with plenty of flour, and using lots of flour, roll dough out very thin (1/8-1/4 inch or so), then slice thin noodle strings with a pizza cutter (or use a pasta crank if you have one). The noodles will expand quite a bit in the soup.

4.      One at a time, add the noodles to the simmering broth (if added in clumps, they will stick together.

5.      Add can of cream of chicken soup.

6.      Add some water until it looks like the right amount, anywhere from 4-8 cups of water probably. Then add chicken bouillon and/or salt until it’s the flavor you want. If using whipped cream, add it here, just enough to make your soup look a touch creamy. Let it simmer until the noodles are done, maybe about 20 minutes. It won’t matter much if it is on the stove longer.

7.      About 10 minutes before service, add chopped celery and onion. About 5 minutes before service, add chopped carrots and the chicken from step 1.

8.      Add salt and pepper to your liking.