Baja Chicken Soup

This is one of our favorite soup recipes.  Its similar to a chicken tortilla soup. 

Baja Chicken Soup

Recipe by La Crème de la Crumb

Ingredients

6 cups chicken stock

1 large anaheim pepper, seeded and diced

¾ cup white onion, diced

juice of 1 lime (about 1½-2 tablespoons)

5 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon chili powder

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon cumin

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (or 1½ cups frozen) sweet corn

2 medium avocados, diced or chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 large roma tomato, diced

½ cup cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Instructions

Add chicken stock, anaheim pepper, onion, lime juice, minced garlic, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin to slow cooker and give it a stir to combine all ingredients. Place chicken in the broth and cook on low 6-8 hours.

Minutes before serving, remove chicken breast from slow cooker and place in a bowl. Shred chicken with two forks. Return shredded chicken to slow cooker. Add black beans, corn, avocado, and tomatoes to slow cooker and stir to combine. Let cook 30 minutes more. Serve hot and top with cilantro.

Oven Fried Bacon

Once you try this method of cooking bacon, you may never fry another pan of bacon again.  This is the only way I cook bacon now.  The trick is figuring out how long it takes in your oven for your desired crispiness.  It takes 20 minutes for my oven.  Also, you don’t have to cook 12 slices.  Cook as few or as many as you like.

Oven Fried Bacon

recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

12 slices bacon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil.

2. Lay bacon slices in a single layer without overlapping on the foil and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until desired degree of doneness. Using kitchen tongs, remove bacon from pan and place on paper towel-lined plate to drain

 

If you want to step you bacon up a notch, you should considering making Pine Cove Trail Ride Bacon.  It’s divine.

Pine Cove Trail Ride Bacon

Recipe by Amanda Jane Brown

Ingredients:

1 pkg bacon

Syrup

Directions:

Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

Cook bacon in the oven as described above.

Line a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with one layer of bacon.  Then drizzle syrup along each piece of bacon and repeat the layers (bacon and syrup) until all the bacon is in the dish.

Place uncovered dish into oven and bake uncovered for about 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sweet Corn Cornbread

This is my go to recipe for cornbread. 

I box Jiffy cornbread mix

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

8 oz (1/2 can) sweet canned corn

1/3 cup sugar (or less)

Optional – canned sliced jalepenos, diced

Preheat oven to 400F.  Grease 8 inch pan, muffin pan, mini muffin pan.

Blend egg, milk, and cornbread mix.  Add corn and sugar (and jalepenos if using).  Pour cornbread mixture into greased pan.

Bake until golden brown 10 minutes for mini muffins, 15-20 minutes for muffins, 20 – 25 minutes for cornbread pan.

Enjoy!

Pizza Night

Truly one of my all time favorite meals hands down.  The homemade dough makes a world of difference and takes very little time to make.  The kids love making their own versions of pizza and I appreciate the help in the kitchen.  Best part is everyone ends up happy.

I use two different pizza dough recipes depending on how much lead time I have.  My first choice is to make the dough in the morning and throw it in the refrigerator. 

Slow-Rise Pizza Dough
Recipe by Mel’s Kitchen

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 1/3 cup water (cold)
3 1/2 to 4 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt

Put all the ingredients in a mixing bowl.  Mix and place in a greased bowl covered in the refrigerator.

Take the dough out of the refrigerator a few hours before you make the pizza. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. (If using a pizza stone, let stone heat for at least 30 minutes in the oven before baking pizza.)

I cut dough into 4-5 balls then I place each one on parchment paper.  Everyone makes their individual pizzas. I use a pizza paddle to transfer the pizza with the parchment paper to the oven.  I use a preheated pizza stone.  Slide pizza onto stone and bake for about 8 minutes.

If baking in a sheet pan, press dough onto sheet pan and top with sauce and toppings. Bake for about 12 minutes (checking often) until crust is browned and cheese is golden and bubbly.

 

If I don’t have time or forget to plan ahead, don’t worry.  Here is a great quick and easy recipe.

 

Fast and Easy Pizza Dough
Recipe by Mel’s Kitchen

3 cups flour, more or less
1 tablespoon honey, heaping
1 tablespoon oil, heaping
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. (If using a pizza stone, let stone heat for at least 30 minutes in the oven before baking pizza.) Mix all pizza dough ingredients together, except the flour. Add flour and knead for a bit then put into pan (or use a pizza peel and pizza stone). If baking in a sheet pan, bake for about 12 minutes (checking often) until crust is browned and cheese is golden and bubbly. If baking on the preheated pizza stone, slide pizza onto stone and bake for about 8 minutes.

Enjoy!

Baked Ravioli

This is one of our quick weeknight meals.  I serve it up with a salad and garlic bread.  Everyone loves it.

Baked Ravioli

recipe by Mom Mart

 

Ingredients

2 16-oz bags of frozen ravioli

1 jar of marinara sauce

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

9x13 baking dish

 

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray

Arrange 1/2 of the ravioli in a single layer on the bottom of the dish. Top with half of the marinara sauce and half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers.

Sprinkle the top with Parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes longer.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Our cousins spent New’s Year Day with us and shared this wonderful recipe for black eyed peas.  Her dad calls it Dad’s Surprise but we call it Black Eyed Peas for Haters.

Dad’s Surprise #342 {Black Eyed Peas for Haters}

recipe by Roger Stanford

Ingredients:

1 lb breakfast sausage

1 onion, diced

1-2 cloves garlic

1 can Rotel, not drained

1 can stewed tomatoes

1 can black eyed peas, drained

Salt

Pepper

Cumin

Onion Powder

Directions:

Brown sausage in a large skillet with onions and garlic.  Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer for 30 minutes or longer (the longer the better).  Add water if needed.  Serve with cornbread.

Enjoy!

Pecan Pie

Southern Pecan Pie

Recipe by Aunt Sandy

Ingredients

1-3 pie crusts (I use Pillsbury)

4 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

½ tablespoon all purpose syrup

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup unsalted butter

2 cups pecan halves

Whipped cream for topping

1 cup chocolate chips

1 tablespoon canola oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In medium bowl, beat eggs well with a beater or electric mixer. Add sugar, corn syrup, flour, salt and vanilla. Beat well until combined. Stir in butter and pecans mixing thoroughly. Scrape into 1 unbaked pie shell. Bake 50 minutes or until filling is set in the center.

Melt chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of canola in the microwave in a glass bowl (30 seconds, stir, 15 seconds, stir, continue in 15 second intervals until smooth). Drizzle over the top of pie. Cool pie completely on wire rack. Serve with whipped cream.

Mini Pie Directions

This recipe will make 18 mini pecan pies. You will need 3 pie crusts. Spray muffin tins with Pam. Roll out dough. Use an extra large cup, bowl or lid to cut out circles of dough. Gently press dough into muffin tin. Fill with pie filling ¾ of the cup.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until filling is set in the center. Melt chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of canola in the microwave in a glass bowl (30 seconds, stir, 15 seconds, stir, continue in 15 second intervals until smooth). Drizzle over the top of pie. Cool pie completely on wire rack. Serve with whipped cream.

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