Easter Sugar Cookies

I got the bug this week to make some spring-time sugar cookies. I decided to use Martha's recipe for Ideal Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing. The dough was pretty unforgiving but the result turned out very well. The cookies were soft and buttery but nice and thin. I really like the royal icing because it's easy to work and dries to a beautiful, shiny gloss. Overall, I'd say this recipe isn't for the faint of heart but if you are looking for a tasty challenge then give it a try.

Chicken Enchiladas

I made this the other night because we happened to have everything on hand and it was delicious. I substituted a can of Great Value (Wal-Mart generic) Red Sauce in place of the taco sauce and it tasted even better I think. I like all of the fresh toppings in this recipe from Southern Living Magazine.

3 cups shredded cooked chicken (just boil it and shred with two forks)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with peppers
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Vegetable cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 (8-ounce) bottle green taco sauce (I used 1 10 oz can of red sauce)

Toppings: diced tomato, chopped avocado, chopped green onions, sliced ripe olives, chopped cilantro

Stir together first 5 ingredients. Spoon chicken mixture evenly over each tortilla, and roll up. Arrange in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Coat tortillas with vegetable cooking spray.

Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Stir together sour cream and taco sauce. Spoon over hot enchiladas, and sprinkle with toppings.

Mrs. Fields Double Rich Chocolate Cookies

This is the recipe from the official Mrs. Fields Best Cookie Book Ever and my cousin and I both showed up to the family reunion last summer with these cookies so you know--two of us can't be wrong! They are supposed to be soft so don't over bake them.

2 1/2 c Flour
1/2 tsp Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 c Unsweetened cocoa powder
1 c Dark brown sugar, packed
3/4 c Sugar
1 c Butter, softened
3 lg Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
2 c Semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300*F.

In a medium bowl combine flour, soda, salt and cocoa powder. Mix well and set aside.

In large bowl blend sugars with an electric mixer at medium speed. Add butter and beat to form a grainy paste. Scrape down sides of bowl, then add eggs and vanilla. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips, and blend at low speed just until combined. Do not overmix.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake for 18-22 minutes. Immediately transfer cookies to a cool surface.

Cool 'n' Easy Strawberry Pie

Gotta love that name, right? This one was a big hit with my husband's family on Easter. I used a Oreo cookie crust rather than a graham cracker crust like it says. I also doubled the recipe for our large group and made it in a 9x13 Pyrex dish with the crust just on the bottom and it worked well. It sets up nicely so you can cut it into squares. This recipe is from the Jello website. They have lots of yummy looking dessert recipes ending in "pie."

2/3 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
Ice cubes
1 tub (8 oz.) Whipped Topping, thawed (Lite tastes fine)
1 cup chopped, fresh strawberries
1 graham cracker (or Oreo) crumb crust
1 cup sliced, fresh strawberries

STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add enough ice to cold water to measure 1 cup. Add to gelatin; stir until slightly thickened. Remove any unmelted ice.

ADD whipped topping; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Stir in chopped strawberries. Refrigerate 20 to 30 min. or until mixture is very thick and will mound. Spoon into crust.

REFRIGERATE 6 hours or overnight until firm. Top with sliced strawberries. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

Photo is from jello.com

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Chocolate pudding pie is a tradition in my family. We usually do the Jello version but I came across this recipe from Williams- Sonoma's website
before Thanksgiving and I am convinced that it is worth the little bit of extra work. You can use
chocolate chips if you don't have your block of Ghirardelli lying around. I also put it in a regular pie crust (not shown in the picture) because that's how my mom always made it. I am sure it is good with the Oreo cookie crust too though.

For the filling:
2 1/2 cups milk
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped into slivers
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cookie crumb crust, made with chocolate cookies (or pie pastry like I use)

For the topping:
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate curls for decorating

Directions:

To make the filling, in a heavy nonaluminum saucepan over low heat, warm together the milk and chocolate, whisking until the chocolate is melted; the mixture will be speckled.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow. Add the cornstarch and salt, then the vanilla, and whisk until well blended. Slowly pour the warm chocolate mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly until well blended. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until it thickens and begins to bubble slowly, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour the filling into the crumb crust and smooth with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface, and refrigerate until completely cold and firm, 2 to 3 hours.

To make the topping, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed or a whisk, beat together the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream on top of the pie. Decorate with chocolate curls. Refrigerate until ready to serve, but let the pie stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off. Makes one 9-inch pie; serves 8.

Raspberry Cream Cheese Brownies

I got this recipe from Cooking Light magazine and they are pretty yummy. It's a cake-like brownie so don't expect the dense, gooey type. I thinned out the raspberry jam with some water so it would spoon on a little better and they turned out looking just like the picture.

Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white

Brownies:
Cooking spray
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
>2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons raspberry preserves

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the filling, beat the first 5 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended, and set aside.

To prepare the brownies, coat the bottom of an 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat the sides of the pan). Lightly spoon 3/4 cup flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine 1 cup sugar and the next 6 ingredients (1 cup sugar through the 2 egg whites), stirring well with a whisk. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spread two-thirds of batter in bottom of prepared pan. Pour filling over batter, spreading evenly. Carefully drop the remaining batter and preserves by spoonfuls over filling; swirl together using the tip of a knife to marble. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Photo: From Cooking Light magazine

Saucy Little Meatloaves

I just made these last night and I would have taken a picture but we already ate all of them! This is a recipe that I got from my Aunt Carolyn. My dad says it's the way his mom has always made meatloaf and it's Matthew's and my favorite. It is super easy and tastes great!

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
3/4 c. Quaker Oats
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. diced onion
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. milk
1/4 tsp. pepper

For meat loaves, combine all ingredients thoroughly. Shape into 6 individual meat loaves in shallow baking pan.

1/3 c. catsup
1 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. prepared mustard

Combine all ingredients; spread over top of each loaf. Bake 350 degrees about 35 minutes.

*You can also top them with sharp cheddar cheese. It's kind of like a cheeseburger then, but it still tastes great.

Yucatan Lime Soup (Sopa de Lima)

This soup is served everywhere in the Yucatan but the Mexican version is much simpler: a little chicken broth, some lime juice, 3 or 4 pieces of chicken, a sliced up lime and some tortilla strips. We liked that soup but Emeril Lagasse's recipe is excellent.

This recipe is good for a cold day, although everywhere we ate it in Mexico it was at least 90 degrees outside (and inside; no A/C). I forgo frying my own tortilla strips up and use cheap tortilla chips from the store. The result is equally good.

Don't feel bad about mixing up a batch of "Emeril's Essence" creole seasoning either. We used it on foil dinners last summer and they were some of the best we've ever had.

Yucatan Lime Soup
1 chicken breast half, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more if needed
8 corn tortillas, cut into 1-inch strips
3/4 cup finely chopped white onions
1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup seeded, chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon minced Serrano chiles
4 cups chicken stock
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, cut into thin slices, for decoration
1 avocado, seeded and diced, for topping

Season the chicken with the cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt and set aside. In a large pot, heat 1/2 cup of the oil over high heat. Fry the tortilla strips in batches until golden brown on both sides, adding more oil as needed. Drain on paper towels.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of oil from the pan. Add the onion, Essence and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken, garlic, tomatoes and chiles and saute for 3 minutes. Add the stock and lime juice and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Place 1 lime slice in each soup bowl and ladle the soup on top. Top each serving with diced avocado and serve the fried tortilla strips on the side.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

If you want printable version of all of this click here.

Recipe from New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

Holiday Recipes...Please

This year I have been working on compiling some great holiday recipes including anything for Halloween through New Years. I would love to get some of your favorites. If you have one that you would like to share please post it in the comments section of this blog. I will start posting some of my favorites in the next few weeks too. Here's one now:

Of course chocolate is appropriate at anytime of year so don't feel limited to making these cookies only for the holidays :) This one is from my girl, Martha Stewart.

Outrageous Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chunks


Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat chopped chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl in 20-second increments, stirring between each, until almost melted; do not overheat. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt

2. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla on high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; beat in melted chocolate.Mix in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in chocolate chunks.

3. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough 2 to 3 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies are shiny and crackly yet soft in centers, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on sheets 10 minutes; with a thin metal spatula, transfer to racks to cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen. Do not bake the cookies to a crisp; they are meant to be soft and chewy. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days.

Photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

Rigatoni with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

This recipe is one of Matthew's favorites and I just made it for my parents at Lake Powell a couple of weeks ago and it was a hit so I thought I would share it. It's from Martha Stewart Everyday Food June 2004.

Ingredients

• Coarse salt
• 3/4 pound rigatoni, or other short tubular pasta
• 2 pounds plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, vinegar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set aside.
3. In a small skillet, heat oil over low heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until tender and just beginning to take on color, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in red-pepper flakes.
4. Stir garlic mixture into reserved tomato mixture. Add parsley, oregano, mozzarella, and pasta; toss.

My interpretation:
Grape or cherry tomatoes are usually more flavorful than plum tomatoes so use those if you can. I don't bother using fresh garlic since it is so easy to substitute garlic powder--then you don't have to worry about dirtying another pan. You can eat it hot or cold but I think it's yummy to mix everything in with the warm pasta and serve immediately.