Thursday, August 26, 2010

Poppy Seed Chicken Pasta

I got this great recipe from my friend Andrea. Its a creamy sauce with a little bit of crunch. Its wonderful!!!

3-4 Chicken Breast Cubed
16oz/2 cups Sour Cream
2 cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
2 Rolls of Ritz Crackers
3/4 Cube of Butter
2 Tbs. Poppy Seeds
Salt and Pepper

1. Cook cubed Chicken in a pan. Season with salt and pepper.

2. In a seperate bowl add sour cream and cream of chicken soup. When Chicken is cooked add to bowl and mix.

3. In a ziplock bag crush Ritz crackers, add poppy seeds, and melted butter. Mix well.

4. Place Chicken mixture, in a greased baking dish. Spread cracker mix on top.

Bake 350 degrees
for 30-35 mins.

Serve over angel hair pasta
Serves 4-6
ENJOY!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Blueberry Cream Cheese Muffins



We doubled this recipe for Jordan and Leo's office.  They were so good all of the guys ate five.  These will be a hit for any occasion.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk or milk
1 1/2 cup fresh, thawed frozen or canned blueberries
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese

Cream together butter and sugar until light. Mix in eggs, vanilla, and cream cheese. With beater stopped, add dry ingredients. Turn mixer on low and slowly add buttermilk until batter just comes together (do not overmix). By hand gently fold in blueberries and lemon zest. Spoon batter into 16 to 18 well-greased muffin cups.

Crumb topping:
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons cold butter

Prepare crumb topping by stirring together sugar and flour. Cut butter in with a fork until mixture is crumb-like. Sprinkle generously on top of muffin batter. Bake muffins in a 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until muffin centers spring back when touched. Serve warm.
Enjoy!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Cilantro Enchiladas

We love to cook with Cilantro! This is one dish that uses a small amount of cilantro that gives alot of flavor. This is defiantly an easy recipe and makes 10 enchiladas, so invite some friends over.

10 small  flour or corn tortillas (If you use corn you will need 15 tortillas)
1/4 cup Cilantro
2  10oz cans of Cream of Chicken Soup
1 Cup light Sour Cream
1 medium diced Onion
3 Chicken Breast
1 7 oz. can of Diced green chilies
1  28oz. can of Mild Enchilada Sauce
1/3 cup shredded Mexican Cheese

1. Boil Chicken, When fully cooked shred.
2. Mix shredded chicken, cilantro, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, onion, cheese and green chilies into a large bowl.
3. Spray baking pan.  Fill each tortilla with 1/4 cup filling.  Roll.  Repeat until all tortillas are filled and rolled.
4. Pour mild enchilada sauce over the top of enchiladas.  Top with desired amount of cheese.

Bake 350
For 30-40 minutes
Enjoy!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Blue Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

We made these cupcakes for a baby shower. They were a hit!! They taste better than they look.

Makes 12 Cupcakes


Ingredients

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Into a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

3. Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely

Frosting:
1 cupWhipped Vanilla Frosting
4 drops of Blue Food Coloring
1 tsp. Raspberry Extract

Mix all together with spoon and frost on cooled cupcakes.
 Enjoy!

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies

Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies



2 Cups sugar
1 Cup butter, softened
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup sour cream
6 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons softened butter, (slice 2 Tablespoons 6 times totaling 12 tablespoons)
1 1/2 Cups packed light brown sugar, divided into 1/4 Cups
1 1/2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon, divided

Frosting
8 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 Cup powdered sugar
2-4 Tablespoons milk, to thin icing

1. In an electric or stand mixer, cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well combined. Slowly add in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.

2. In 2 batches, place in plastic wrap in a disc shape and chill for at least 2 hours for best results.

3. Once chilled, cut each disc into thirds and roll into a 1/8 inch thick oval, about 12 inches X 5 inches. Spread each rolled pieces of dough with 2 Tablespoons softened butter, 1/4 Cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon. Start rolling from the long end closest to you, rolling into a log shape. Using a sharp knife, cut 1/2 inch pieces of dough then placing onto a silpat or parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before removing from baking sheet.

4. To prepare frosting, beat the cream cheese until softened and smooth, slowly add powdered sugar and milk until desired consistency. Frost cookies then place in refrigerator until ready to serve. These are 100 times better chilled, trust me!!

Makes at least 6 dozen
This Recipe was provided from Picky Palate

Enjoy!


White Chocolate Strawberry Crumble Cookies

These cookies are fun. It brings me back to when I was a kid, cause I loved strawberry milk. You have to try these!

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 pkg. White Choclate Chips
3 Tbs. Strawberry Nesquick (powder)

Directions:
Melt chocolate chips, when melted add Nesquick. Mix really well and remove from heat. Let stand for 15 mins. The chocolate should begin to harden.


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add pudding mix, eggs and vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture and mix well.
Crumble in hardened choclate mixture.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
ENJOY!

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Ranch Chicken Tacos

This is one of our husbands favorite meals. They request this every time we ask what they want for dinner.

Ingredients:
4 Chicken Breast
1/4 cup Cilantro diced
1/2 Packet of Powder Ranch Dressing
1/2 Yellow onion diced
1/2 Packet of Taco seasoning (dry powder)
1 Tbs. Water
Salt and Pepper


Cut chicken into small pieces. Put chicken into sprayed pan with diced onion. Once the chicken is cooked, drain excess water. Then add Ranch powder, dry taco seasoning and salt pepper and 1 Tbs.water. Then add Cilantro.
Serve in taco shell, hard or soft. Add desired taco toppings (tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, avocado and salsa.)

Enjoy!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Panko Crusted Chicken

Everyone in the family will love this recipe.  You can disguise it as chicken fingers for the little ones.  This moist, delicious chicken is great plain or is perfect for dipping in any sauce.

Ingredients:

3 Chicken Breast
1 Cup Sour Cream
2 Cups Italian Style Panko Crumbs
1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Optional Dipping Sauce- Ranch, Barbecue, and Dijon Mustard

How to prepare:

Cut chicken into strips. Pour sour cream into a shallow dish; set aside.  Combine panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper into the other shallow dish.  To crust chicken, dip each in the sour cream.  Then roll chicken into panko and parmesan cheese mixture.  Place chicken on a greased pan. 

Bake at 350 degrees 
For 30 to 40 minutes
Panko, is like bread crumbs. It is usually next to the btead crumbs at the super market. 
 ENJOY!

Black Bean Salsa

This Salsa is great with chips, burritos, and tacos. It is so tasty you might just even want to eat it plain!!

2 medium ripe avocados (cube)
3-4 Roma tomatoes (cut into small pieces)
1 15oz. can corn (drain)
1 15oz. can Black Beans (drain, rinse) - I like to use 2 cans
1/2 Jalapeno (seeded, dice fine)
1/2 cup red onion chopped
3 tbsp. Lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
cilantro and garlic to your liking
salt if needed

Combine into a bowl and stir.
Enjoy!

Carmelitas

We are starting this food blog with our all time favortie treat recipe. These things are to die for. Everytime we make these people keep coming back for more. We usually double the recipe, because they are just that good!! Please try this recipe and give us your feedback, we would love to hear from you.
Crumb Mixture

Combine:

1 cup flour
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup melted butter

Press half of the crumb mixture into a greased 9x9" pan.

Bake at 350* for 10 mins. Take out of oven and sprinkle over the top:

1/2 jar Mrs. Richardson's hot carmel/butterscotch sauce
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup pecans (optional)

Crumble on top the remaining crumb mixture.

Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes more or just until barely golden brown.

Chill 2 hours. Cut into bars.

Enjoy!