Cilantro-lime rice

Serves 4
1 cup long-grain white rice
Coarse salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove
Directions
1.In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is absorbed and rice is just tender, 16 to 18 minutes.
2.Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water; blend until smooth. Stir into cooked rice, and fluff with a fork.

Chicken Fajita Tostada

My friend Randi, who actually I met not to long ago seems to have the same desire to cook as I do (tons of fun!) she told me about this recipe and it sounded so easy and so good. It was, easy and good that is. My picture probably would have looked better if it had a fresh pico-de-gallo on top, but because my husband prefers blended salsa it took away from the overall look. I know, I must love him :)


Chicken Fajita Tostada

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
1 cup prepared fresh salsa
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
4 corn tortillas (6-inch)
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Cilantro-Lime Rice, for serving (optional)

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. On foil, combine onions, bell peppers, corn, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
2.Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add chicken, stir to combine, and continue to roast until warmed through, 5 minutes more. Transfer chicken and vegetable mixture to a serving bowl, discarding foil (reserve sheet).
3.Arrange tortillas on sheet. Dividing evenly, brush with remaining tablespoon oil; top with cheese. Bake until edges are golden and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes.
4.Dividing evenly, top tortillas with chicken-vegetable mixture and remaining 3/4 cup salsa. Serve with cilantro-lime rice, if desired.

Recipe from Everyday Food by Martha Stewart

Carmelitos Bars

I made two batches of these last week, and me thinking they were the best.things.ever i took them around to a few friends. But now I am a little confused, maybe they are not that good because not one of them said that they liked them... they didn't say anything, so maybe they were just being nice? So... if you are asking me I am giving them a two thumbs up!


1 cup flour
1 cup quick oats (sometimes I use regular)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup chocolate chips (I like milk for this)
3/4 cup caramel topping
1/2 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (I never add these but good)
3 Tablespoons flour

(for mine, I 1 1/2 the cookie part of the recipe so they had a thicker bottom and more crumb topping for the top!)

Mix flour, oats, sugar, soda, salt and butter. Press half of the mixture into a 11x7 pan and set the other half aside. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and chopped pecans (if using). Blend 3/4 cup caramel with 3 T. flour. Pour (drizzle) over chocolate chips. Sprinkle the balance of the flour oat mixture over the dessert. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until light brown. Allow to cool and set before slicing.

Recipe from Sisters Cafe.

Tacos al carbon

for those of you who are from Flagstaff know how very yummy Salsa Brava is. They were even on Dinners, Drive-ins and Dives. This is my favorite restaurant and these tacos did not disappoint! They were juicy and flavorful.


Ingredients:

2 pounds skirt steak

marinade:
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 tsp freshly ground cumin seed (lightly toasted)
1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped
1 Tbsp kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup olive oil

1. lay the skirt steak in a large non-reactive bowl or baking dish. Combine marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the steak, making sure each piece is well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or overnight.

2. Preheat an outdoor grill to hot or heat a cast iron skillet if cooking indoors. Remove the steak from the marinade, season both sides with salt and pepper, and place on grill. If cooking indoors, remove excess marinade as the garlic may burn and smoke.

3. Grill the steak for a few minutes only on each side, depending on the thickness, until it is cooked to your preference. You may need to work in batches.

4. When cooked, remove the steak to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal and serve. This recipe can be easily doubled. (for tacos you chop the meat into small pieces)

Recipe from Salsa Brava cookbook.

Beef brisket with homemade bbq sauce

I am not sure if brisket is technically a St. Paddy's food, but I remember eating it growing up on that day. The brisket was delicious, moist and tender. I really surprised myself. I thought it was going to be dry and tough. Towards the end of the 10 hours the liquid was starting to burn, so I had to add a little extra water. I served the brisket with some green mashed potatoes and asparagus. YUM!


(yes I took this picture, not bad eh?)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup water
1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp instant beed bouillon granules
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 2 1/2 pound fresh brisket or other beef roast
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter or margarine

for cooking liquid, in a bowl combine water, worcestershire sauce, vinegar, bouillon, mustard, chili powder, cayeene pepper and garlic. Reserve 1/2 cup; cover and chill. Trim fat from meat. Place meat in slow cooker. Pour remaining liquid over meat.

Cover and cook on low for 10-12 hours or high for 5-6 hours. WATCH it towards the end to make sure the liquid doesn't burn out. FOR SAUCE: pour reserved liquid in a small suacepan with ketchup, brown sugar and butter. Heat through, serve with meat.

Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

Lets review... for fun; my husband David HATES Alfredo. I know right! But did you catch the name of this dish... that's right. Alfredo 1, David 0. Not only did he eat this, but he loved it. I think the extra amounts of meat (bacon) really helped win him over. The taste was creamy, and the chicken, mushrooms and bacon were delicious.


Ingredients:

1 pkg (12 oz) fettuccine
8 bacon strips, cut into 1-inch pieces
boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
6 green onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups half and half (I just used whipping cream)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper

Cook fettuccine according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain, reserving 1-2 Tbsp drippings. Saute chicken in drippings until no longer pink. Add the mushrooms, green onions and garlic; saute until mushrooms are tender.

Stir in cream, cheese, paprika and pepper, reduce heat; simmer uncovered, for 5-10 minutes. Stir in reserved bacon.

Recipe from Taste of Home magazine

Olive Garden Breasticks

I made lasagna for dinner on Sunday and while I was at church my hubs found this recipe on line. The bread sticks did taste just like olive garden's. The texture was a bit different, but that didn't stop me from eating....well, I will just keep that to myself :)


Ingredients:

4 cups flour
1 1/3 cups water
4 tsp butter
2 tsp butter
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast
garlic powder

1. In a stand mixer mix flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Heat 4 tsp butter, water until no hotter than 120 degrees. add to dry ingredients.

2. on floured surface roll and cut into 16 equal portions (long ans skinny, like bread sticks..duh :)

3. cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes

4. preheat your oven to 400 Degrees

5. bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with remaining melted butter and sprinkle with garlic powder.

I don't know where David got this recipe, but he found them and made them! What a guy!

Homemade Lemonade

Growing up we had lemon trees in our backyard. We always made Lemon cookies, and lemonade. Its so yummy on a hot day!


Ingredients:

(This recipe is coming to you in PARTS, that way you can make as much or as little as you want. When I made it in the pitcher I used 1 cup for the part)

1 part lemon juice *real lemons people, not the already squeezed stuff you can buy at the super-maret*
1 part sugar
1 part hot water

mix those ingredients until sugar is dissolved, then add
3-4 parts ice cold water.

Mix and serve.

Since I used 1 cup this is what my recipe was:

1 cup lemon juice
1 cup sugar
1 cup hot water
3-4 cups ice water

Garlic-herb braid

I was in the mood to try a new bread recipe when I stumbled across this one in the "taste of home" magazine. I have NEVER, EVER had a bread recipe that called for dill. It was delicious! The bread has such a good flavor. Don't be distracted by my retarded looking braid, the bread really was yum!


Ingredients:

4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 pkg (1/4 oz each) quick-rise yeast
2 tsp dried basil
1 3/4 tsp dillweed
1 1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 egg
1 tbsp butter, melted

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast and seasonings. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water and cubed butter to 120-130 degrees. Add to dry ingredients; beat just intil moistened. Add egg; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until sooth and elastic, about 4-6 minutes. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into thirds. Shape each into a 15-inch rope. Place ropes on greased baking sheet and braid. Pinch ends to seal and tuck them under, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 25 minutes.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter, remove from pan to wire rack to cool.

Recipe from Taste of home test kitchen

Sushi

Ingredients:

8 x 8 seaweed sheets
2 cups botan rice (japanese rice... very important!)
3 cups water
1 rice cooker
rice wine vineager
immitation crab
avacado

Wash and rinse rice SEVERAL TIMES then place in a rice cooker. If you don't have a rice cooker, don't even try. Rice is the key ingredient. Once rice is cooked transfer to a wooden bowl, add rice vineager to taste. (Mika added a powder which was WAY yummier, you can get it at Japnese food stores)

Once rice is finished, spread over seaweed sheet. then add crab and avacado, roll up with a bamboo mat.

Top with pickled ginger and dip in soy sauce. YUM!

THANKS MIKA!!! You are the best!

Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

A perfect Sunday dessert. I saw this in a magazine and gave it a try. It was super creamy and rich and delicious, just like every other cheesecake I have had an encounter with. I never met a cheesecake I didn't love. :)


(I know, I know... not the best picture. I might have to pull the left overs out and redeem myself :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of crushed oreos
2 Tbsp butter, melted

4 pkg (8oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs, slightly beaten

9 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup seedless raspberry preserves

Topping:
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup whipping cream

Place a greased 9-in. spring form pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Securely wrap foil around pan. Combine cookie crumbs and butter and press onto the bottom of prepared pan.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add eggs, beat on low speed jut until combined. Set aside 1 1/2 cups (for topping) pour remaining batter over crust.

In a microwave melt chocolate; stir in preserves until blended. Stir in reserved batter jut until blended. Drop by tablespoonfuls over the plain batter (DO NOT SWIRL). Place spring form pan in a large baking pan; add 1 inch of hot water to larger pan.

Bake at 325F for 65-75 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove spring form pan from water bath. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer.

For topping, place chocolate in a small bowl. In a saucepan, bring cream just to a boil, pour over chocolate, whisk until smooth. Cool slightly. Spread over top of cheesecake. Refrigerate overnight. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

Recipe is from Mickey Turner (taste of home mag.)