Chilaquiles

I first discovered this dish at Hugo's - it was so good I went back the next day to order it again. After returning from that vacation I scoured the internet, looking for the right recipe. After lots of testing, this is what I have come up with.What are chilaquiles, you may ask? Think of it as a Mexican casserole or lasagna. I make this when I want something bold, hearty, and that will last for days.


5-6 large tomatoes
2-3 jalapenos
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 bunch cilantro
sour cream
cojito cheese
1 package white corn tortillas
olive oil


Place tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, 2/3 of the onion and 1/2 the cilantro in a large pot and cover with water. Heat water to boiling, and let simmer 20 minutes. Dump all contents of pot into colander and set aside to cool (do not be concerned that bits of onion or cilantro slip through the colander).


Heat oil in a large skillet. Cut tortillas into six wedges. Working in batches, fry tortillas just until crispy. They do not have to be evenly cooked or even cooked all the way through. Once they have browned and crisped up a bit, you can take them out of the oil. Drain the oil off the cooked tortillas over a paper towel. Continue until all of the tortillas are cooked. (You can use tortilla chips instead, but this is way better. Trust me.)


Peel and core tomatoes and put a blender along with the onions, garlic, and cilantro. Seed the jalapenos, and add those to the blender as well. Blend until smooth. Pour the contents into a large pot and turn heat to medium low. After a few minutes (when the mixture has begun to heat up), stir in the tortillas. Continue stirring until the tortillas are completely coated. Reduce heat to low and let cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve topped with fresh chopped onions, cilantro, cojito cheese, and sour cream.(Trust me, this is one recipe where you don't want to skip the garnish at the end - the onions, cilantro and cheese add a snap of flavor and the sour cream brings a coolness to a potentially hot dish.)

One more thing: I have seen this served with eggs, chicken, black beans, corn, etc. I am far too lazy to bother with all of that - and I think the dish stands up on its own, but I definitely encourage everyone to try out variations.

Tomatillo Dressing (from Cafe Rio)

1 pkg Hidden Valley buttermilk ranch dry mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup mayo
1-2 tomatillos, peeled
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 bunch cilantro
1/2 tsp lime juice
1/2 - 1 jalepeno, de-seeded

*Blend together in a blender until smooth and keep refrigerated.

CPK Chopped Salad

(photo courtesy of California Pizza Kitchen)

SALAD:
1/2 head iceburg lettuce
1/2 romaine lettuce
12 basil leaves, cut in narrow strips
2 cups Italian salami, in thin strips
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup chopped garbanzo beans
4 cups fresh diced tomatoes
3 cups diced turkey breast
2 TB chopped green onions

DRESSING: Herb Mustard Vinaigerette
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp minced shallot
2 TB Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 1/3 cups olive oil (mild)
3 TB grated Parmesan cheese

Cranberry Raspberry Salad

(A Thanksgiving or Christmas side dish favorite!)

1. 6oz raspberry jello
2. 1 1/2 cup boiling water
3. 2 10oz pkg frozen raspberries
4. 1 tsp lemon juice
5. 1 pint sour cream
6. 6oz cherry jello
7. 1 cup boiling water
8. 1 20oz can crushed pineapple, undrained
9. 1 16oz can whole-berry cranberry sauce
10. 1 small tub Cool whip (Optional)

• Bottom layer: Dissolve (1) in (2). Add (3) and (4). Stir to thaw. Pour into 9x13 dish and refrigerate. When firm go to next step.
• Middle layer: Spread (5) across. Put back in fridge to firm.
• Top layer: Dissolve (6) in (7). Add (8) and (9) and pour on top. Refrigerate. 
• Spread (10) on top is using just before serving.

Jarasiene Salad

1. Wash and chop up a head of lettuce and put in a large bowl. Chop up green onions and 1/2 green bell pepper and add.
2. Boil 6-8 potatoes. Then skin and chop them and add to bowl.
3. Bake or grill link sausage (we use the Hillshire Farms Turkey Kielbasa) for 10 min, turning halfway. Once cooked (or heated through for pre-cooked sausage) slice and also add to bowl.
4. For the dressing use equal parts of Good Seasons Italian and Ranch. Toss and serve.

Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients:  (regular batch/for a large crowd batch)
2 chicken breasts/or 6 chicken breasts
1 small onion/or 2 onions
1/2 pkg curly macaroni/or 2 packages
1 small can pineapple tidbits undrained/or 2 large cans
1 cup green grapes, halved/or 2 cups
1 cup red grapes, halved/or 2 cups
1 cup chopped red apples/or 3 cups chopped apples
3/4 cup chopped celery/or 2 cups
2 green onions chopped/or 4 green onions
1 small can cashew halves and pieces/or 1 large can

Dressing:
1 12oz bottle Coleslaw dressing/or 1 24oz bottle
3/4 cup mayonnaise/or 1 - 1 1/2 cup mayo

Directions:
1) Boil chicken with onion 20-25 minutes. Also prepare macaroni and drain.
2) Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the ingredients and start putting them all in a large bowl. For the pineapple, drain the juice over a bowl. After you chop the red apples, place the chunks in the bowl with the pineapple juice (to help reduce browning) and add them at the end.
3) When the chicken is cooked, cut into small pieces and put in the bowl, discarding the onion. For the pasta, once cooked al dente drain and run under cool water before adding to the bowl.
4) In a separate bowl prepare dressing. Then pour it over the pasta salad and toss gently. Keep this refrigerated; may be made in advance and still good next day.

Baked Ziti

Ingredients

·      1 16oz package of ziti (or small shells, or penne, whatever)

·      1 jar of your favorite Marinara sauce

·      1 15oz container part-skim Ricotta cheese

·      ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

·      ¼ tsp salt

·      8 oz park-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions

1.  If making homemade Marinara sauce, make first.

2.  Meanwhile, in large saucepot cook pasta as label directs to al dente. Drain.

3.  Put pasta back into pot and mix with sauce, until coated. In a separate bowl combine the ricotta, Parmesan, and salt.

4.  Preheat oven to 350°. Spoon half of the pasta mixture into dish. Spread evenly with ricotta mixture and top with remaining pasta. Cover ziti with foil and bake 20 minutes.

5.  Remove foil and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake until cheese has melted, about 10 minutes longer. Serve and enjoy.

Monkey Bread

Ingredients

·      1 stick butter

·      1 cup brown sugar

·      ¼ cup whipping cream

·      2 TB sugar

·      2 tsp cinnamon

·      4 small Pillsbury Biscuit tubes

·      ¾ cup crushed pecans

Directions

1.      In a saucepan melt together butter and brown sugar, stirring occasionally.

2.      Meanwhile, open biscuit packages and cut each round biscuit into 4 pieces. In a small shallow bowl combine sugar and cinnamon and roll each bread piece in the mixture.

3.      Check pot. After melted add whipping cream and melt down.

4.      Place in Bundt pan and layer as:

        Sauce – pecans – bread – sauce – bread – sauce – bread

Bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes (until bread is cooked).

Breadsticks

(These are a lot like CrazyStix from Little Caears)

Ingredients

·      1 ¼ c flour

·      2 tsp sugar

·      1 ½ tsp baking powder

·      ½ tsp salt

·      2/3 c milk

·      3 TB butter, melted (more optional)

·      Garlic powder

·      Parmesan cheese (the sprinkle kind)

·      Optional: use sesame seeds to sprinkle on for non-garlic breadsticks

Directions

1.      Combine dry ingredients (the first four listed). Slowly add milk and stir with a wooden spoon, stirring to form a soft dough.. Turn onto a well-floured surface and knead 4-5 times.

2.      Roll out a rectangle (1/2 inch thick) and cut into strips with a pizza cutter. Place butter in 9x13 glass dish. Place breadsticks in pan and turn them over (to butter both sides). Sprinkle with garlic powder and Parmesan cheese if desired. Bake at 450°13-15 minutes. (Will brown slightly, still should be soft)

Homemade Granola

Ingredients

·      6 cups quick oats

·      1 cup chopped walnuts

·      ½ cup flaked coconut

·      ½ cup sesame seeds

·      ¼ cup flaxseeds

·      2/3 cup veg.oil

·      ½ cup honey

·      ½ cup packed brown sugar

·      2 TB water

·      1 ½ tsp vanilla

Directions

1.      Combine honey, oil, brown sugar, water, and vanilla in a saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring often. Cook 5 minutes or so, until smooth and see-through.

2.      Toss in a large bowl oats, nuts, seeds, and coconut. Pour liquid over dry mixture and combine.

3.      Grease 2 cookie sheets and bake at 275 degrees for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Then remove, and cool. Then break and store in airtight container.

Kay's Jambalaya

Ingredients:
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 TB butter
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup long-grain rice
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4-1/2 tsp bottled hot sauce
1 bay leaf
1-2 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1-2 cups cooked sliced Italian sausage (heat via your preference)
1-2 cups cooked shrimp

Directions:
In a large skillet cook celery, onion, and pepper in butter until veggies are tender. Stir in undrained tomatoes, broth, rice, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer 20 minutes. Add chicken and sausage and continue cooking until heated through. Discard bay leaf. Add shrimp last. (She usually doubles this recipe)

Kay's Oatmeal Cake

1 cup oatmeal
1 1/2 cups hot water
*Mix these together and set aside while you mix the rest)*

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 cups flour
*Cream shortening and sugars together. Sift dry ingredients and add along with eggs. Add oatmeal mixture last. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.

*Then mix 1 sq. butter, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 TB+ milk. Cook for 1 minute.
*Add 1 cup coconut and 1 cup nuts. Pour over cake and broil for 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully!

Kay's Roll Dough

(My mother-in-law makes these at holidays. It makes a HUGE batch, but they are the best rolls ever)

Ingredients:
4 Cups reconstituted dried milk, lukewarm
1 cup sugar
4 cakes dried yeast (or 4 TB)
4 eggs
4 tsp salt
1 cup cooking oil
14 cups sifted flour (can be mixed 1/2 wheat and 1/2 white)

Directions:
1) Dissolve sugar and yeast in warm milk. When yeast becomes active, add well beaten eggs and enough flour to make a medium batter. Beat well and let set until bubbles begin to form.
2) Beat in the salt and cooking oil, then add rest of flour, beating well. When too thick to beat, pour onto floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. (The secret of this dough is to use only enough flour to be able to handle it. It should be as soft as possible, almost sticky.)
3) Place in greased bowl and cover with damp cloth. let rise until double in bulk and punch down well. Let rise again. Then make into whatever shape of rolls you like and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

Herbed Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
2 TB butter
1 TB chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 lb small red potatoes, washed and cut in halves

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In 3qt saucepan, melt butter with parsley, lemon, salt, and pepper over medium-low heat. Remove from heat and add potatoes. Toss well to coat.
2) Place potato mixture in center or 24x18 inch sheet of heavy-duty foil. Fold edges over and pinch to seal tightly.
3) Place pkg in jelly-roll pan and bake until potatoes are tender when pierced (through foil) with knife, about 30 minutes. Makes about 6 side dish servings.

Ranch Chicken Salad

(There is no Ranch in this. Funny name. Got this one from Body4Life)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 tsp lime zest
juice from half a lime
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb cooked chicken, cut into bit-sized pieces
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 11oz can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 - 1/2 red onion, chopped
2 heads Bibb lettuce, separated into leaves and washed

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, combine well the mayo, sour cream, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice, and seasonings. Stir in the chicken, beans, corn, bell pepper, and onion.
2) Divide lettuce evenly among 4 plates and top with a portion of chicken salad. Or serve like lettuce wraps. Serve and enjoy.

Aloha Cake

(This came from my Blendtec cookbook)
1 white or yellow cake mix (and eggs and oil and water as called for)
1 3/4 cups milk
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 5oz box instant vanilla pudding
1 20 oz crushed pineapple
12 oz whipped cream (or cool whip)

1) Prepare cake mix and bake according to directions. Let cool.
2) Combine milk, cream cheese, and pudding in blender jar. Using "batters" button mix. (Or pulse in a regular blender)
3) When cake is cool, place pudding mixture over cake. Drain pineapple and spread gently over mixture layer. Spread whipped cream over pineapple layer. Voila!

Pizza Salad

5 cups lettuce (mixture of Romaine or butter lettuce, and spinach)
1 cup sliced tomatoes
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced yellow peppers
1/2 cu grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup turkey pepperoni
1/4 cup sliced black olives

Dressing:
Mix together 1/4 cup light Ranch and 1/4 cup pizza sauce

Wash lettuce and tear into bite-size pieces. Add other ingredients. Mix with the dressing and serve. Works great as a main dish with breadsticks on the side.

Spicy Spinach, Artichoke, and Chile Dip

2 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 4.5oz can chopped green chiles, drained
1 12oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/4-1/2 cup canned chopped jalepeno, drained
1 10oz box frozen spinach, thawed and drained
3/4 cup grated/shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the cream cheese and mayo in a bowl until smooth, then stir in everything else. Spoon into a baking dish. Bake until slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Serve with crackers or crusty French bread. (Also, we use the leftovers as a spread on Panini-press sandwiches, and its very yummy!)

Fresh Salsa

1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes, mostly drained
3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1/4-1/2 pasilla pepper, de-seeded and chopped
1/2 jalepeno chile, de-seeded and chopped
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1-2 cloves minced garlic
splash of rice vinegar
Salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy. Its better cold, so if can refrigerate first before serving. Depending on your preference of heat, leave in the seeds or use more of the chile peppers. This easily doubles too.

Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Add together in a large mixer/hand mixer and cream for 3 minutes.
Then add: 

1 egg and 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1 1/4 tsp vanilla

Mix an additional 2 minutes.

3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Sift together the dry ingredients and add to the batter, mixing until combined. Then add the chocolate chips.  Spoon with a large scoop (3 tablespoon size) onto Silpat on cookie sheet and bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 9-12 minutes. SO big and gooey, and so delicious!

Lemon Shortbread Squares

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour

Combine above ingredients and mix well. Press into 9x13 pan (glass works best for these!). Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

4 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed is best)

Combine flour and sugar. Mix in eggs and lemon juice. Pour into slightly cooled crust. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes, or until set. Watch and try not to overcook or undercook (shouldn't be runny). Sprinkle with powdered sugar.