Mi Querida Cocina

Breakfast Burritos

2012-01-29T10:20:00.000-08:00

From: A friend of mine mentioned the idea of making breakfast burritos ahead of time to freeze and I thought I'd try it. Here's what I put in mine... It makes 9 burritos.

Ingredients:

9 tortillas
1 package of about 8 fully cooked turkey sausage
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup of salsa
8 eggs
2 tbsp oil

How to:

Start by finely chopping the turkey sausage. Set aside for a moment. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat for about a minute. Then add the eggs and scramble on medium high heat, adding salt and pepper to your liking. When the eggs are about halfway cooked, add the sausage and finish scrambling the eggs. Now lay out the tortillas, egg and sausage mix, cheese, and salsa. Assemble the burritos, wrapping each one in a paper towel. Use a paper towel, which can be microwaved, not foil, plastic or wax paper. Make sure to eat one while it's hot! The rest of the wrapped breakfast burritos go into a freezer bag and into the freezer immediately to be warmed when you're ready to eat them. I warm mine in the microwave for about a minute. Now you've got a quick hearty breakfast that only take a minute to prepare! Yummmm...

Side notes: Do you need a lactose or dairy-free option? Use dairy-free cheese (click here for recipe) instead. Do you have little ones in the house? You can leave out the salsa and cut the burritos in half before wrapping in a paper towel.

Pesto-Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Breasts

2012-01-27T18:55:00.000-08:00

From: This recipe came from one of those recipe cards that Safeway distributes in their store.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1/2 red pepper
olive oil
mozzarella cheese (shredded)
pesto sauce

How to:

Cut a slit in the two chicken breasts so that you can stuff ingredients inside. Cut the red pepper into strips and caramelize them (cook 'em) in olive oil in a skillet. Then stuff the inside of the chicken with pesto, mozzarella cheese, and red pepper.

Secure it closed at an angle with a couple of tooth picks, being sure the tooth picks are flush with the meat (so they don't keep the meat from being cooked well on all sides. Spread pesto on the outside of the chicken breasts. Heat oil in a skillet on medium heat. Cook the chicken breasts on medium heat (slowly so they cook all the way through). You can grill them too.

You can also microwave them for three minutes after cooking to be sure they are fully cooked inside, if you desire. Be sure to remove toothpicks and top with more mozzarella if desired, before serving.

Shrimp Tacos

2012-01-24T21:47:00.000-08:00

From: This is another attempt to recreate a discontinued favorite Chili's meal. I fell in love with their grilled shrimp tacos last time I was there, and have been on a hunt to recreate them ever since! Except I wanted to create them without the so-spicy-it-burns-your-tongue-off effect. This is still a work in progress, but this is what I came up with:

Ingredients:

1 lb of frozen shrimp
2 ripe avocados
taco-sized flour tortillas

cilantro lime slaw ingredients:
1/8 cup mayonnaise
1/8 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
1 pasilla chili, seeded, minced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 green onions, minced (about 1/4 cup)

pico de gallo ingredients
3/4 cups seeded, diced tomatoes
1/8 cup diced red onion
1/2 tablespoon diced jalapenos (optional)
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
Juice from 1 fresh lime
1 tablespoons cilantro

Salt and pepper

How to:

Start by preparing the cilantro-lime slaw. Follow these directions. Refrigerate while you are preparing the other parts.

Next, prepare the pico de gallo by following these directions. Refrigerate that as well.

Now dice up the avocado so it can be easily served.

Now run frozen shrimp under cool water to thaw them. Next, saute the shrimp in butter until they are seared and brown in some parts. The pan should be extremely hot before you toss in the shrimp.

And the part I'm still working on... finding a recipe for a spicy chili-lime sauce to top it all. Let me know if you know a good one!

Chicken Craisin Salad

2012-01-22T22:27:00.000-08:00

From: This recipe is from my Aunt Carol. It's more filling than you'd think! We love it for dinner!

Ingredients:

mostly white chicken pieces cut from small roasted chicken, about 3 c.
1 cup dried craisins (dried cranberries)
1 cup walnuts
1 Granny Smith apple, diced
3 celery stalks, sliced vertically, then chopped
pineapple slices, cut in wedges, two 15-oz cans
Marie’s (brand) cole slaw dressing (or 1000 Island or Honey Mustard) - we like honey mustard
Parmesan or mozzarella cheese

How to: Combine all the ingredients except the dressing and cheese in a large bowl. Serve. Top with dressing and cheese as desired.

Chicken Quesadillas

2012-01-22T22:16:00.000-08:00

From: My husband whipped this up one evening and surprised me by setting this plate full of the best chicken quesadillas I've ever had right on my desk as I was working.

Ingredients:

flour tortillas
chicken
oregano
salt
pepper
parsley
basil
cheddar cheese
avocado
sour cream
butter
olive oil

How to: Start by tossing some olive oil in a pan. Heat it up and spread it around. Then tossed in the chicken and the spices (to your liking). Cook it through, allowing it to get nice and golden brown on the outside. Then shred or dice it up.

Now load up a tortilla with cheddar cheese. Add chicken, avocado and sour cream. Close the tortilla and butter the outside. Heat a clean pan. Saute the quesadilla until the outside is golden brown and the cheddar cheese is melted. Then flip it over and do the other side.

Now serve it up and eat it!

Bruschetta

2012-01-22T22:00:00.000-08:00

From: This is the Pioneer Woman's Bruschetta recipe. Holy heaven, this woman has done it again. This is to die for.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
5 fresh cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
1 pint Red Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
1 pint Yellow Grape Tomatoes, Halved Lengthwise
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
16 whole Basil Leaves (chiffonade)
Salt And Pepper To Taste (don't Oversalt!)
1 loaf of French bread
8 Tablespoons Butter

How to:

Follow the Pioneer Woman's instructions. The only deviation I suggest is that you only toast the top side of the bread. That way, you get the crispy buttery goodness of toast and the soft fresh french bread at the same time. It's fantastic.

Italian Chicken Soup

2012-01-22T19:37:00.000-08:00

From: I started with this recipe from the Pioneer Woman and then tweaked it a bit to suit what I had in the kitchen and to make it a bit easier.

Ingredients:

1/2 box Rigatoni Pasta
About 1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups Chicken Broth
1/2 whole Medium Onion, diced
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 can (15-ounce) Can Diced Tomatoes
1 cups Heavy Cream (optional)
2 Tsp Oregano
Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
Parmesan Cheese Shavings, For Serving
1 Tbsp butter

How to:

Cook pasta in a pot according to package directions, being sure not to overcook it. Drain and rinse in cold water to cool. Toss in 1 tablespoon olive oil and set aside.

Cook the chicken in a skillet. I added salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and basil to season. Then dice it up.

Place chicken in a large pot and cover in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer chicken, while chopping and preparing the veggies.

In the same skillet you cooked the chicken, saute onion, green pepper, celery, and jalapenos, and oregano, salt and pepper in olive oil and butter over medium heat until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add to the pot of chicken and chicken stock.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add cooked pasta, diced tomatoes and cream. Stir to combine. Turn off heat. Serve with lots of Parmesan sprinkled on the top--the more the better!

Side notes: For lactose intolerant guests, hold the cream and Parmesan cheese and serve on the side for those who want it.

Caprese Salad

2012-01-18T20:01:00.000-08:00

From: I have always loved caprese salad. But this post from the Pioneer Woman inspired me to master our own homemade version.

Ingredients:

3 whole ripe red tomatoes
a handful of fresh basil leaves
mozzarella cheese or homemade fresh cheese
salt and pepper
balsamic vinegar

How to:

Slice tomatoes thinly. Then layer: tomato, cheese slice, basil leaf, tomato, cheese slice, basil leaf. Salt and pepper the entire plate lightly. Then you can either drizzle balsamic vinegar over the whole thing, or you can make balsamic reduction and drizzle that over the whole thing. To make balsamic reduction, follow the Pioneer Woman's instructions:

She says, "In a small saucepan, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes, or until balsamic has reduced to a thicker glaze. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl or cruet. Allow to cool."

Shrimp Stir Fry

2012-01-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

From: My husband found this YouTube video and then he found this one and we combined them.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp oil
1 lb of shrimp
4 tbsp oyster sauce (or soy sauce)
4 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp rice cooking wine (or white cooking wine)
1 tsp chopped fresh garlic
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cup beef broth
4 cups thawed mixed vegetables (the stir fry variety is my favorite)
1 tbsp corn starch
1/3 cup water
prepared wild rice

How to:

Heat the oil in a wok. Add garlic and simmer for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add the veggies, oyster sauce, sugar, wine, beef broth and black pepper. Bring this to a boil. Mix water and corn starch in a small bowl. To thicken the sauce, add this to the pan gradually until it thickens as you like. Once it is as thick as you want, serve over wild rice and eat immediately.

Whiskey Glazed Carrots

2011-11-25T21:29:00.000-08:00

From: This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman Cooks.

Ingredients:

1 stick Butter, Divided
2 pounds (to 3 Pounds) Carrots, Peeled And Cut Into Thick Circles
1/2 cup Jack Daniels Or Other Whiskey
3/4 cups (to 1 Cup) Brown Sugar
1/2 teaspoon (to 1 Teaspoon) Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

How to: Just click here.

Ham Gravy

2011-11-25T20:41:00.000-08:00

From: I took this recipe of an imitation KFC gravy, omitted the pepper, and used ham drippings instead. I've never had a ham gravy before, but it was scrumptious!

Ingredients:

1 cup drippings
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup of chicken stock

How to:

Combine all the ingredients in a small pot. Whisk together until smooth. Turn on medium high heat. Whisk as it heats up and thickens. Remove from heat just before it reaches the thickness you desire. It will continue to thicken as it cools.

Sweet Potato Casserole

2011-11-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

From: My great aunt Bobbie Carne (sister to my mother's mother) passed this recipe on and we've been cooking it for Thanksgiving as long as I can remember. It's just not Thanksgiving without it.

Ingredients: No amounts; just put in what you feel like, and then taste it. You can always add more of something.

sweet potatoes

brown sugar
honey
molasses
a pinch of salt
cinnamon
apple juice
butter
marshmallows

How to:

First cook the sweet potatoes. My mom cooks them in the pressure cooker. You could also boil them. I poke lots of holes in them with a shish-ka-bob stick, cut off about half an inch of the pointy ends, put them in a microwave safe bowl, cover them, and microwave them. Yes, I realize this is cheating and probably cooks any shred of healthiness out of them. But it sure is easy.

Next, peel them. Use an oven mit you don't mind getting dirty, or wait until they've cooled so you don't burn yourself. Then add all the ingredients except the marshmallows. Now mash, mash, mash, until they are as smooth as you desire.

Spread the potatoes into an oven-safe dish. Sprinkle (or if you're my mom, layer) the marshmallows on top. Warm thoroughly in the oven (about 350°F) so they melt a bit and get golden brown and crispy on top. (The ones in this picture are not golden brown, nor are they crispy. We were too impatient to eat them so I didn't bake them long enough.

Thanksgiving Ham

2011-11-25T16:57:00.000-08:00

From: My husband came up with the combination of spices, following Costa Rican tradition. The rest came straight off of the package the ham came in.

Ingredients:

8 lb ham
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/8 tsp black pepper
dash salt
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
ham glaze (that comes with the ham)

How to:

The ham comes in a package with some liquid in it. Before opening the plastic, turn it and smoosh it so that all surfaces of the ham are moist. Open the plastic and cover the ham with all the spices to your liking. The measure of each of the spices are guesses and can be adjusted to your preference. Place the ham in a baking pan 2 or 3 inches tall and closely fitting around the sides of the ham. The flat cut side of the ham should be facing down. Cover the ham tightly with foil. Bake for 15 minutes for every pound of the ham (for an eight pound ham, bake for 2 hours) at 325°F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about ten minutes. Follow the directions for the glaze. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.

Apple Jam

2011-11-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

From: I put this recipe together using a few things from several online recipes that I found. It took several tries to get it just right, but it's a great one!

Ingredients:

4 cups of FINELY chopped apples (no need to remove the peel)
1.5 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1 tbsp butter
1 box (1 3/4 oz) dry pectin OR 1/4 cup arrowroot powder
2 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed

How to:

Measure apples in a measuring cup. Now add in the same measuring cup water to fill up to the 4 cup line (with the apples in it). Pour this into a large pot on high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat some and continue to boil for 5 to 10 minutes until the apples are cooked. Use a potato masher to mash and stir.

Add lemon juice, spices and butter. IF you are using pectin, add that at this time too. If you are using arrowroot powder, do not. Bring back to a boil (you may have never lost the boil).

Add sugars. Bring back to a full rolling boil and stir constantly.

IF you are using arrowroot, remove the pot from heat and allow it to COMPLETELY COOL. It must be cool enough for you to comfortably stick your finger into. If you do not allow it to cool, the arrowroot will form small hard chunks in your otherwise liquid jam instead of helping the entire thing to gel. Once it is comfortably cool, add the arrowroot powder and mix WELL. Now put it back on medium high heat and bring to a boil. It will start to thicken.

IF you are using pectin, continue boiling for one minute.

Now allow it to cool enough so that you can spoon the jam into jars, allowing 1/4 inch headspace in each jar. Tightly screw on lids.

If you plan on storing your jam at room temperature, now it's time for the water bath. If you plan on refrigerating the jam within 24 hours and/or eating it right away, you can skip the water bath. Place the jars in a clean deep pot. Add water up to the bottom of the lid of the jars, but so that it does not submerge them. Place over high heat. Bring to a high boil. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes. Using a jar grabber or thick rubber gloves, remove the jars from the boiling water and allow to cool at room temperature. Once they've cooled, the jam inside will be even more thick and it's ready to store.

Congratulations! You've just made home made jam.

Side Notes: Pectin is more common, but more expensive. If you are making several dozen jars of jam, this can be pricey, and arrowroot powder is the way to go. If not, pectin might be your better choice. Pectin can be found at Walmart near the canning supplies. Arrowroot powder is a starchy powder and can be found at your local natural foods market (like Sunflower Market or Whole Foods) in the baking section.

This recipe makes approximately three or four 16-oz jars (depending on your choice of thickening agent) of jam.

Carne Arreglada

2011-11-14T12:46:00.000-08:00

From: This is one of my husband's most frequently cooked and most loved meals. Straight from Costa Rica and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 lb of cubed steak (the kind that's pounded flat)
Add the following spices to taste:
salt
pepper
cumin
oregano
basil
garlic powder
onion powder
1 Tbsp soy sauce
pinch of curry
1 green pepper sliced into strips and seeds removed
1/2 onion cut into thin rings
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

How to:

Cut the cubed steak into half-inch cubes. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet. Saute the onions and pepper on medium heat until the onions are clear and the pepper loses its bright color and becomes a little transparent (fully cooked). Push the pepper and onion to the sides of the pan and put the meat in the middle, spread out so it cooks well. Add the rest of the ingredients to the top of the meat except for the soy sauce. Use the soy sauce as liquid to keep everything moist. Once the meat is cooked, remove from heat and allow to sit for five minutes before serving over Costa Rican white rice.

Easy Oven Pot Roast

2011-09-19T22:09:00.000-07:00

From: My Mom included this recipe in a book of recipes that she made for us growing up. It's one of my favorites... It's such a hearty meal and it serves a lot. And because it takes about 10 minutes to get everything into the crock pot and 12 hours later it's done!

Ingredients:

Roast
4-6 potatoes, cut for stew
1 quartered onion
carrots, peeled and cut for stew
can of cream of mushroom soup
can of golden mushroom soup
half a can of water
garlic salt
pepper

How to:

Place roast in bottom of glass baking dish or slow cooker. Arrange potatoes, onions and carrots all around and on top. Spoon over the top the soups and water. Sprinkle over everything with garlic salt and pepper. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350°F for 4-5 hours or 250 for 6-8 hours or in the slow cooker on low for 12 hours. The meat should be falling apart and a gravy forming on the bottom.

Side notes:

You could also delete the quartered potatoes and serve with mashed potatoes. In the picture, I forgot to buy potatoes - who forgets to buy potatoes?! - so I made it without them. Before serving, I cut sliced whole wheat bread into squares and spooned the pot roast over the top. Wow, it was really good that way!!

Sloppy Joe Casserole

2011-09-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

From: This little tabloid recipe magazine was one of the best I've ever picked up!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed tomato soup
1/4 cup water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp black pepper
1 package (7.5 oz) refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese or non dairy cheese

How to:

Heat oven 400°F. Cook the beef in a skillet over medium-high heat until it's browned. Drain fat. Stir the soup, water, Worsestershire sauce and black pepper in the skillet and heat to a boil. Spoon the beef mixture into a 1 1/2 qt casserole. Arrange biscuits on top. Bake for 15 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown. Top with cheese.

Slow cooker option: I have not tried this, but here's my guess. Put all ingredients except biscuits and cheese in a slower cooker and mix well. Turn on high for 4 hours. When meat is ready, add biscuits and cheese and cook for another half hour. Serve.

Pesto Blue Cheese Ramen Noodles

2011-09-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

From: We often have extra pesto sauce and blue cheese in our refrigerator and one day I was trying to figure out what to do with them. This is what I came up with!

Ingredients:

Ramen noodles
2 or 3 Tbsp blue cheese crumbles
3 Tbsp pesto

How to: Boil the noodles until they are cooked. Drain. Add pesto and mix well. Top with blue cheese crumbles to your liking.

Side Notes: For lactose intolerance, you could substitute non dairy cheese.

Dip for Steamed Artichoke

2011-09-09T22:37:00.000-07:00

From: I was online searching for something different to serve with steamed artichoke one day and decided to take a few ideas from this site to make my own dip. Here you go!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup of mayonnaise
1 tsp of thyme
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 heaping Tbsp of blue cheese

How to:

Mix all ingredients well and serve.

Side notes: You can also melt half a stick of butter and dip in both. Yummmm!

Iced Coffee

2011-09-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

From: This is the Pioneer Woman's perfect iced coffee. It is fantastically delicious.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground coffee (make sure it's a good rich roast)
8 quarts cold water
Half-and-half (a healthy splash per serving)
sweetened condensed milk (2-3 Tbsp per serving)

How to: Just click here.

Lettuce Wraps

2011-09-07T21:34:00.000-07:00

From: I fell in love with Chili's lettuce wraps years ago and was heartbroken when they stopped serving them. Then when I found this recipe online recently, I jumped for joy and knew I had to try it immediately! It's definitely one of our favorites.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts and 1 Tbsp oil
2 carrots
1/4 cup minced water chestnuts (optional)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)
about half of a bunch of romaine lettuce leaves

Stir Fry Sauce
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional - add only 1/8 of a tsp if you don't want the sauce to be spicy)
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

Peanut Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional - add only a pinch if you don't want the sauce to be spicy)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon brown sugar

How to:

Start by preparing the stirfry sauce. Combine water and cornstarch and stir until cornstarch is dissolved. Add this to the other stir fry sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer till thick. Set aside.

Now prepare the peanut dipping sauce. Combine ingredients in a pan over medium low heat. Heat while whisking until sauce becomes smooth. Remove from heat when done.

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken breasts until done, turning every couple of minutes. Keep the pan hot, but on a cutting board, chop into small pieces. Put chicken back in the same pan over medium/high heat and add water chestnuts. Heat for 1 minute. (Water chestnuts are not shown.) Add 5 Tbsp of stir fry sauce to the chicken and heat for 2 minutes, stirring often. The sauce should be bubbly. Now the chicken is done.

Shred the carrots. I use a carrot peeler and peel until I have a whole bowl of carrot peels.

Put it all on the table.

Pile it into a lettuce leaf and roll it to eat it!

Yummmm...

Pasta with Wine and Mushrooms

2011-09-06T17:07:00.000-07:00

From: This recipe came from the Pioneer Woman's cooking website.

Ingredients:

24 ounces, weight Thickly Sliced Mushrooms (baby Portobellos Are Best)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Kosher Salt (I used regular salt)
Black Pepper
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Large Onion, Peeled And Sliced (I used half an onion, chopped)
1 cup Dry White Wine
3/4 cups Whiskey (Jack Daniels Is Good - but I don't keep whiskey in the house, so I used red wine)
1/2 cup Chicken Broth
1 cup Heavy Cream
Salt And Pepper, to taste
12 ounces, weight Mostaciolli, Cooked Al Dente

How to: Just click here.

Side notes: Serve this one with your favorite glass of wine and serve it on date night! The sauce for my recipe never thickened... I'm not sure why that is, but it tasted good, just the same. Next time I might try thickening it in the pan with a little bit of arrow root powder (because it's tasteless).

French Toast

2011-09-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

From: I created this one. :)

Ingredients:

2 or 3 slices of bread
1 egg
2 Tbsp pancake mix (from scratch or store-bought)
2 Tbsp milk
butter
1 Tbsp oil
honey

How to: In a bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and pancake mix. Soak a piece of bread on both sides in the mix. In a skillet, heat oil on medium high heat and spread over entirety of skillet to prevent sticking. Place the soaked bread slice in the pan and cook until golden brown. Turn. Serve and top with butter and honey (or any combination of typical toppings that you like).

Side Notes: If you don't have pancake mix in the house, mix together:
1 cup of flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

Chile Relleno

2011-09-05T12:52:00.000-07:00

From: My husband learned this one from his mom and has fond memories of her making them when he was a kid.

Ingredients:

2 green peppers
1 lb of ground beef
-spices for ground beef
Costa Rican white rice
1 small sweet potato
cheese (optional)
salsa (optional)
canola oil

How to:

First prepare the white rice so it can be cooking in the rice cooker while you prepare the sweet potatoe sauce, the peppers and the meat.

Then cut the sweet potatoes into halves or thirds and boil until soft. Peel the cooked sweet potatoes and place in a blender or food processor. Add a small amount of water so it makes it into a sauce (much like the consistency of baby food).

While the sweet potatoes are boiling, start on the peppers by carefully carving out the stems of the green peppers and the insides, like a pumpkin. Coat the outside and inside with canola oil. Set them in a baking pan and bake at 350°F until soft (about 15 minutes). The exterior of the peppers will become sticky and paper-like. Peel this exterior.

While the peppers are baking, the rice is cooking and the sweet potato is boiling, brown the ground beef with the spices listed. Set aside.

Once all of these parts are ready, place the peppers in a short glass. (This just makes it easier to fill.) Fill the pepper with the meat. On a plate, spoon about 1/2 cup of rice. Covering the opening of the pepper with your fingers to keep the meat from coming out, turn the glass over and remove the pepper from the glass. Place the pepper in the the middle of the rice. Top with cheese if desired. Pour sweet potato sauce around the outside or over the top as desired. Add mild salsa to make it pretty. There you go!!

Side notes: Makes two generous servings.

Snickerdoodle Cookies

2011-09-03T21:35:00.000-07:00

From: This was one of my favorite cookie recipes that my Mom used to bake when I was growing up. The best thing about it? It involves such basic ingredients, almost everyone has them in your kitchen. I'd be willing to bet you could whip up a batch of these tonight!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs

2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 Tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

How to: Mix the first four ingredients in one bowl. Mix the second four ingredients in another bowl. Blend the dry ingredients into the wet ones gradually. Refrigerate dough at least one hour. Can be overnight. Scoop out small spoonfuls of dough into your hands and round them into balls (about 1 inch in diameter). Roll the balls into a mixture of sugar and cinnamon (last 2 ingredients) until they are fully coated. Places 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400°F for 8-10 minutes (or closer to 20 minutes in high altitude). Immediately remove from baking sheet.

Dairy Free Mac 'n Cheese

2011-08-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

From: Once I figured out how to make dairy free cheese, the very first thing I did was make my kiddo some good ol' macaroni and cheese! Because EVERY kiddo should be able to enjoy mac 'n cheese.

Ingredients:

macaroni noodles
dairy free soft cheese
soy milk

How to:

Cook the macaroni noodles and drain. While still hot, add desired amount of cheese (I added about 1/2 cup) and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of soy milk so the mixture is creamy and moist, not sticky. Enjoy!

Dairy Free Soft Cheese

2011-08-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

From: A great friend of mine who also has a son who is lactose intolerant shared this recipe with me. Thanks, Kendahl!

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups water
1 cup raw cashews
3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp keltic sea salt
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp l seasoning: Mexican, Italian, pizza, etc (I used Italian seasoning.)
1/3 cups Arrow Root Powder

I found nutritional yeast and arrow root powder difficult to find. Nutritional yeast is different from regular yeast and can be found at stores like Whole Foods. Arrow root powder can also be found at Whole Foods. Remember the cashews must be raw, not roasted.

How to: In a blender, put 1 cup of water and the cashews. Process nuts until completely dissolved. Add the rest of the water and all other ingredients except the arrow root powder. Blend until smooth. Pour entire mixture into a cooking pot. Add arrow root powder and mix with a spoon until smooth while heating over medium heat. Stir continuously as mixture thickens. Once it is quite thick, transfer to a Pyrex and refrigerate. After setting for several hours, cheese will be similar to the consistency of cream cheese.

Side notes: For hard cheese, replace arrow root powder with 3 Tbsp agar. I have not tried making hard cheese yet, but I'll update once I've tried it.

Spinach Phyllo Pie

2011-08-07T11:25:00.000-07:00

From: My Mom (who also provided the picture) found this recipe and found inspiration for it on ellenskitchen.com.

Ingredients:

2 pounds fresh spinach  
1 package fresh mushrooms 
1 large onion
5 egg whites 
8 ounces cheddar cheese, grated  
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, grated
1 teaspoon pepper  
1 box phyllo dough

How to:

Thaw phyllo sheets as directed on box.
Prepare filler; leaving phyllo sheets wrapped until everything else is ready:
Remove stems from spinach, wash and drain.
Cut onions and sauté in water until tender.
Wash and slice mushrooms and add to the onions (cook until all water evaporates), remove onions & mushrooms from heat and put in a large bowl.
Sauté spinach in water (largest saucepan, in two batches) tossing frequently until all liquid evaporates – or until lightly cooked, then drain spinach and squeeze out remaining water.
Mix onions/mushrooms & spinach together in bowl & make sure onions and mushrooms are evenly distributed throughout the spinach.
Beat egg whites lightly, add grated cheese to egg mixture and mix thoroughly.
Add spinach mixture to egg and cheese mixture and stir until well mixed.

Quickly (It’s not a race. But phyllo dough may stick together and become hard to handle if you let it sit opened too long.) layer 5-7 sheets on the bottom of an 8x12 baking pan (like for lasagne) spraying each layer lightly with Pam. Then put on half of your spinach mixture.
Put another 5-7 sheets of phyllo in the pan, spraying again with Pam. Add and spread the last of your spinach mixture. Top with 10 to 15 sheets of phyllo, sprayed lightly with Pam between each layer.
Trim any excess dough around the edge, then moisten your fingertips and seal around the edges like a normal pie crust. (I just shoved the corners and edges down into the pan.) Brush top with butter or PAM. Use a sharp knife to cut through the entire top layer in the pattern you will cut after baking. Bake in 400°-425° oven for 30 minutes.

Side notes: I haven't tried this one yet, but I sure plan to do so soon!

Sushi

2011-07-13T21:24:00.000-07:00

From: I first learned to make sushi from Kingdom Mama's Brown Rice Sushi post. She is really the woman who taught us to love sushi in the first place! Then in my quest to ~~dumb it down~~ ~~simplify it~~ make it with what I actually had in my kitchen, I opted for white rice. The mayonnaise and the diluted soy sauce were simpler versions of sushi recipes I found online, and here's what we came up with! Sushi - the easy way!

Ingredients:

seaweed wraps
mayonnaise
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup white rice
water
2-3 carrots, finely shredded or thinly sliced in strips about 3 inches long (another way is to use a carrot peeler and peel it until it's completely shredded)
1 avocado, cut into long thin strips
frozen cooked crab meat, thinly sliced lengthwise

How to:

Rice: Cook the rice in a pot or rice-cooker with only water and no seasoning. It needs to come out plain and sticky.

Soy sauce: Mix 1/4 cup soy sauce with 1/4 cup of water. Stir well.

How to put it all together: On wax paper or a cutting board, lay out one sheet of seaweed paper with the smooth shiny side down. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the entire sheet, except leaving a one inch strip at the top (the edge furthest from you) clean. Over the mayonnaise, spread a thin layer of rice. At the bottom (the edge closest to you) lay carrots, avocado and crab meat. Using a silicone basting brush (or something similar), coat the top clean edge of seaweed paper with diluted soy sauce, making it sticky. Immediately roll the sushi very tightly (the first ones you do will be a mess and that's perfectly okay - they taste the same messy). The edge with soy sauce will be the outside edge that seals it into a roll. Now slice the roll with a very sharp knife. Serve with your favorite dipping sauces. I like soy sauce and sweet-and-sour sauce. But, I'm sort of a sugar junkie! Enjoy!

Side notes: There's nothing raw in this, which is convenient and helpful to the sushi-newbies. You can also add all sorts of variations to your sushi. What do you like to put in your sushi? Comment away!

Want to give it an extra little sweet twist? Coat the outside of the sushi roll with the diluted soy sauce. Roll it in sugar, and blow torch it. I'm not kidding! Mmm-mmm good!

Ensalada de Palmito

2011-06-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

From: Hearts of Palm (or palmito) is one of our favorite common things to eat in Costa Rica. I had a can of them in my cupboard and was looking for a salad to put them in. I started with this recipe and then changed it to my liking.

Ingredients:

1 (14 ounce) can hearts of palm, drained & sliced (if not already)
2 medium tomatoes, seeded & chopped
1/2 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper (use fresh ground pepper if possible)
2 ounces parmesan cheese, freshly shaved
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 cup finely chopped iceberg lettuce (optional)

How to:

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Serve.

Side notes:

Serves two.

Ham & Scalloped Potatoes

2011-04-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

From: My mom sent me this recipe. She got it from a slow cooker recipe book she has had for 30 years.

Ingredients:

ham, cut into bite sized pieces (I get a package of ham for sandwiches and cut the entire stack of ham slices from the package into 1cm x 1cm squares)
3-5 medium potatoes cut but not peeled
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
sprinkle with paprika
green chilies (optional)

How to:

Put all the ingredients in the slower cooker and cook it on high for 3 hour or low for 6-8 hours.

Side notes:

For lactose intolerance, hold the cheese and add it on the side when serving.

Taco Salad

2011-04-21T00:14:00.000-07:00

From: This one is an original. :)

Ingredients:

romaine lettuce
crushed tortilla chips
tomatoes
ground beef
cinnamon
olive oil
salt
sugar
barbecue sauce
ketchup
cheese
salad dressing (my favorite is Ranch flavor)
other options: raisins, craisins, anything else you think you might want to add

How to:

Start by browning meat withe same spices from my hamburger recipe. The only difference is that you add about a Tbsp per pound of ground beef of olive oil to help break it up and add more ketchup and barbecue sauce so it's juicier. Then add all the ingredients together in a salad. Enjoy!

Hamburgers

2011-04-18T22:54:00.000-07:00

From: My across-the-street neighbors growing up were our best friends. Elizabeth and Danielle were like our other sisters and we spent more time during the summer in their back yard than our own, I think. Their dad, Carl, was known for his hamburgers. Man, he could make a mean hamburger! Finally one time I paid attention to what he put in it. You won't believe how good these are!

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
2 Tbsp your favorite barbecue sauce
1 Tbsp of ketchup
a generous pinch of salt
a generous pinch of sugar
two generous pinches of cinnamon
(all the measurements are general estimations... I just add it until it looks about right)

How to:

Add all the ingredients in a bowl and knead well so that the seasonings are well mixed into the meat. Form it into patties and grill it! Yummmmmm.

Side Notes:

I use this combination of spices for ground beef in all sorts of recipes like Stromboli.

Tuna Bites

2011-04-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

From: This one's an original!

Ingredients:

tuna mixed with your favorite ingredients
cheese crackers

How to:

Put one on top of the other and munch! It makes a great snack or a side for a meal.

Tuna Quesadillas

2011-04-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

From: I came up with this one on my own! :)

Ingredients:

tortilla
tuna (not mixed with any other ingredients)
cheese

How to:

Put cheese and drained tuna inside a tortilla and fold in half. Butter the outside. Sauté in a pan on medium heat on both sides.

Side notes:

Tastes best to little boys when served outside on the front porch with rocks to play with.

Chicken, Asparagus & Mushroom Bake

2011-04-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

From: This is another recipe I found in a recipe magazine next to the tabloids at the grocery store. I might end up cooking through this entire casserole magazine. It's seriously GOOD. As soon as I can figure out how to link to the proper place, I'll give credit where credit is definitely due! I almost didn't try this one because there were so many steps, but don't be intimidated. It's really easy and worth it! SO YUMMY!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups sliced asparagus
black pepper
1 package (about 6 oz.) corn bread stuffing mix (although in the picture above I used regular corn bread mix)
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 can (about 14 oz) chicken broth
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of asparagus or cream of chicken soup undiluted (I used cream of chicken soup)

How to:

Heat butter and oil in a large skillet or wok.
Add chicken and garlic. Cook and stir for about 3 minutes over medium-high heat until the chicken is no longer pink.
Add mushrooms. Cook and stir for 2 minutes.
Add asparagus. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes or until the asparagus is crisp-tender.
Season with pepper.

Transfer the mixture to six small casseroles. Top with stuffing or cornbread mix. I only had one large casserole dish and that worked just fine.

Add wine to the skillet and cook and stir for one minute over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add broth and soup; cook and stir until well blended. Pour broth mixture over stuffing mix.

Bake, uncovered at 350°F, for 30 minutes or until lightly browned and heated through

Side notes:

Makes 6 servings.

PB & J Pocket

2011-04-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

From: Costco sells pre-made peanut butter and jelly pockets. Essentially it's two pieces of bread sealed at the edges with PB&J in the middle. My son ate one up like it was candy and I thought, "I can make that!" Plus it cuts down on the mess that usually happens when jelly squeezes out the sides of the sandwich.

Ingredients:

peanut butter
jelly
bread

How to:

Make a regular peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Then take a mug and use it to gently squish the sandwich down, cutting off the sides and sealing the edges.

Use a knife to finish cutting off the sides and serve!

Coddled Eggs

2011-04-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

From: I learned how to make coddled eggs from my grandmother.

Ingredients:

eggs
salt
pepper
cooking spray

How to:

First, you need an egg coddler, or several. They look like this.

Spray the inside of each coddler with cooking spray. Then dust it with salt and pepper. Next drop in one egg and screw on the top.

Lower into a pot of boiling water. The water should reach the edge of the coddler tops like this.

Boil until egg is cooked through (about 7-9 minutes). To lift out of the pot, use a hook or a fork twine. Unscrew the tops using a dish towel or oven mit and scoop out the coddled eggs.

Side notes:

Coddled eggs make great toppings for toasted English muffins, which is how I like to eat them.

Saffron Chicken & Vegetables

2011-04-10T10:54:00.000-07:00

From: This recipe came straight from one of the recipe magazines you find next to the tabloids in the grocery store.

I was impressed with how good and how easy it was!

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1 bag (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables (such as broccoli, red bell peppers, mushrooms and onions) (I used the peas, carrots, green beans and corn mix in the picture and it was delicious!)
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
1 can (10.75 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup undiluted
1 can (10.75 oz)condensed cream of mushroom soup undiluted
1 package (8 oz) saffron yellow rice mix
1/2 cup water
1 tsp paprika

How to:

Spray a 3 quart (9x13 inch) casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown chicken on both sides; drain fat. Meanwhile, combine vegetables, broth, soups, rice mix and water in a large bowl. Mix well. Place mixture in prepared casserole. Top with chicken. Sprinkle with paprika. Cover and bake at 350 degrees Farenheit for 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is cooked through (165°F) and the rice is fully cooked. Makes six large servings.

Apricot Chicken

2011-04-10T10:14:00.000-07:00

From: This recipe has been passed down from my grandmother, to my mother, to me. It's tried, true, and yummy!

Ingredients:

1.5 to 2 lbs of chicken - any cut will do, bone in or boneless and skinless... makes no difference so pick your favorite or whatever's on sale
1 package of onion soup or onion dip mix
4 oz French dressing
4 oz apricot preserves

How to:

Clean and trim the chicken if necessary. Lay the raw pieces in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan. In a 2 cup measuring cup put 4 oz of French dressing. Add apricot preserves until you have 8 oz of total marinade. Add the packet of onion soup/dip mix. Mix well with a small spatula. Pour over the chicken. I like to then move the chicken around so it's completely coated.

Then you can either bake it at 350° F for an hour or cook it in the slow cooker on low for 4-5 hours.

Side notes:

I like to serve it over Costa Rican rice, as shown in the picture.

Costa Rican White Rice

2011-04-09T16:09:00.000-07:00

From: I learned how to make Costa Rican rice when I lived there for a year. Now, my husband and I make rice for our meals a couple times per week.

Ingredients:

2 cup white rice
1/4 cup chopped red pepper
3 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
3 cups of water

How to:

Put all the ingredients except the water in a rice cooker or pot. Mix well so that the rice is well coated with the oil. Add the water. Cook the rice.

Spaghetti Sauce Homemade

2011-03-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

From: My Mom used to make the most killer lasagna when we were growing up. She got it from a family friend. One day I realized that the meat sauce in that lasagna would also make an amazing spaghetti sauce and it just happened that it was really easy too. I never did find another meat sauce that compares to this one!

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground beef
1/2 onion chopped finely
16 oz can tomato sauce
12 oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp basil
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp pepper

How to:

Brown the meat and onions in a skillet. Then add the tomato sauce and tomato paste and water. Mix well and then lower heat to a simmer. Add the spices and continue to simmer on low eat until you're ready to eat. Makes enough for a 1 to 1.5 lbs pasta.

Side Notes:

The original recipe calls for two cups of water but I like my sauce super thick and chunky, so I omitted a lot of the water.

Chicken Parisienne

2011-03-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

From: This is another great recipe from my friend, Annie!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs cubed chicken breast
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
10 3/4 oz condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cans sliced mushrooms (4 oz each)
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup sour cream
6 cups hot cooked egg noodles

How to:

Throw everything in the crock pot, except for the sour cream and egg noodles. Mix well. Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours.

Then add the sour cream for the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Serve over egg noodles.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2011-03-09T21:16:00.000-08:00

From: My good friend, Melissa.

Ingredients:

As it happens with all good recipes, they get tweaked as they are passed around. Here are the ingredients Melissa uses. And here are the ones that I use:

to be cooked together first:

1 medium onion, chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb of chicken diced

then add:

1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth (15 oz)
1 1/4 cups water
1 can corn, drained
2 can sof garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup of diced flame roasted green chile

toppings:

1/4 cup fresh finely chopped cilantro
crushed tortilla chips
diced avocado
shredded cheese

How to: Well, here you can read Melissa's excellent post on how she does it, complete with all the way cool pictures.

What I do: I put the 1st three ingredients in the bottom of a large pot and sear until the chicken is cooked through. Then I throw in the rest of the ingredients (not including the toppings) and simmer until it's hot and all the flavor has mixed together nicely or until we're ready to eat, whichever takes longer. Last I serve the toppings at the table for all to use as desired.

Romaine Lettuce Salad

2011-03-03T23:28:00.000-08:00

From: This one's an original... I love salads and adding new things to them. This is my most recent salad combination favorite.

Ingredients:

PICTURED ABOVE:
fresh (not packaged) romaine lettuce

grape or cherry tomatoes
craisins (That's not a typo. They're dried cranberries and they can be found near the raisins in most grocery stores.)
blue cheese crumbles
french fried onions
blueberries
your favorite dressing

HERE'S ANOTHER GREAT COMBINATION:
fresh (not packaged) romaine lettuce

grape or cherry tomatoes

craisins (That's not a typo. They're dried cranberries and they can be found near the raisins in most grocery stores.)

french fried onions

grilled chicken strips

your favorite dressing

How to: It's a salad so, you know, throw it all together. Make it big. You're gonna like it.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup - The Simple Way

2011-03-03T23:04:00.000-08:00

From: I found this recipe over on AllRecipes.com. I was looking for a simple home-made chicken noodle soup and I was REALLY pleased with this one.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
1/2 pound chopped cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 cups egg noodles
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste

How to: Just click here.

Side notes:

By accident, I confused the amounts for the chicken broth and the vegetable broth. I added four cans of vegetable broth before realizing my mistake and then for the life of me couldn't find the massive can of chicken broth in the cupboard (despite the fact it was right in front of my face). So to compensate I added a cup of water and half a packet of chicken flavoring from a Ramen noodles pack. I actually love how it came out and I might do it that way next time too!

Banana Bread

2011-03-03T22:56:00.000-08:00

From: This one came straight from Simply Recipes.

Ingredients:

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

How to: Just click here.

Pancakes From Scratch

2011-03-03T21:51:00.000-08:00

From: Well, I started with this recipe. Then I tweaked it and made it SO much better!!

Ingredients:

1 cup of flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup of vanilla flavored soy milk
2 Tbsp oil
1 cup of milk
handful of blueberries
1 banana peeled
butter

How to:

Put everything except for the fruit in a large mixing bowl. Blend, until it's smooth. Then add the fruit and mash the fruit using a wire whisk. I like it when the fruit isn't completely blended smoothly into the batter, but you can taste chunks of banana and blueberry in the pancake.

Be sure to put about a teaspoon of butter (or butter substitute) in ahead of the batter when cooking it in the griddle or hot skillet. It makes the edges crispy and buttery.

Serve and eat immediately. They won't last long! Yummm!!!

Side notes:

The vanilla flavored soy milk is the key ingredient here. It just gives the entire pancake the most amazing slightly sweet flavor that is just to die for! Scrumptious.

Picadillo de Papa

2011-03-01T17:50:00.000-08:00

From: This recipe came straight from my ~~mother-in-law's~~ mother-in-love's kitchen. I still remember sitting on the stool at her kitchen counter, when my husband and I were dating, jotting down measurements and ingredients as she tossed them into the pot. In fact...

I still pull out that battered piece of paper and unfold it to follow her recipe. It gives me warm Costa Rican fuzzies.

Ingredients:

5 potatoes peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
1/3 of a red pepper, finely chopped
1/4 of an onion finely chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 celery sticks finely sliced
1 lb of ground beef
1/4 tsp of achiote paste (optional)
salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1 cup of water
vegetable or olive oil

How to:

Start by chopping the potatoes and set aside. Next chop the red pepper, onion, garlic, cilantro and celery and place in a large pot with about a tablespoon of oil. Turn the stove on high heat and sear for about two minutes before adding the ground beef. Lower the heat to medium and brown the meat. While browning the meat, add the achiote, the oregano and about a teaspoon of salt. Once the meat is cooked, add the potatoes and water. Leave the heat on medium or high until it returns to boil and then simmer until the potatoes are soft. Liberally add salt to taste.

Side notes:

Serves 4 - 6. This recipe is great topped with a little bit of jalapeño pepper or the juice from the jalapeño pepper jar.

Black Beans

2011-02-16T20:58:00.000-08:00

From: This one came straight from my husband's brain. It's a Costa Rican recipe and it make me feel like I'm home no matter where I am.

Ingredients:

fill the pot one inch below top of slow cooker
a whole spoonful of salt medium full
1/2 onion skewered
a whole bag of black beans

How to:

Put all the ingredients in the crock pot and cook on high overnight on low until the beans are soft.

Poor Man's Chili

2011-02-16T20:56:00.000-08:00

From: A Year of Slow Cooking

How to: Just click here.

Side notes:

I used 1 tsp of chili powder instead of the corriander and tumeric. I also dusted it with cinammon instead of throwing in a cinamon stick and I substituted great white northern beans instead of kidney beans. These changes were because it's what I had in the kitchen. :)

Slower Cooker Chicken & Dumplings

2011-02-16T20:48:00.000-08:00

From: AllRecipes.com

Ingredients:

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts
2 T. of butter
2 (10.75 oz) cans of Condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion diced
1 package of refrigerated biscuit dough torn into pieces

How to: Just click here.

Side notes:

I'm not a huge onion fan, and I was tempted to use only half an onion, but it is truly what gives this recipe its flavor, so throw it all in!

Green Bean Casserole

2011-02-16T20:21:00.000-08:00

From: It's the classic Campbell's Kitchen recipe.

Ingredients:

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (Regular, 98% Fat Free or Healthy Request®)
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Dash ground black pepper
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/3 cups French's® French Fried Onions

How to: Just click here.

Side notes: In this picture I topped it with mozzarella cheese and french fried onions. Yumm!!

Stromboli

2011-01-29T13:05:00.000-08:00

From: Another great one from my friend, Annie

Ingredients:

frozen bread dough (I find it in the frozen foods section in a pack of 3) Italian bread is best but plain white bread will do.
1 lb of ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp barbecue sauce
1/4 tsp of salt

1 Tbsp of ketchup

shredded mozzarella cheese (to your liking)
1 jar of spaghetti sauce
optional: mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni, red pepper, cilantro or any other pizza toppings

How to:

Set a frozen bread dough loaf on a cutting board dusted with flour to thaw for 3-4 hours (see package for length of time)

Brown the ground beef and onion with your favorite spices. I use cinnamon, sugar, barbecue sauce, salt and ketchup. Flatten the bread out by stretching or rolling it. Lay it out in a 9x13 baking pan so that the dough stretches over the sides. Along the center, place the browned meat. Layer on top: mozzarella cheese and half of the jar of spaghetti sauce. You may also add mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni, red pepper, cilantro or any other pizza toppings. Along the long sides of the dough, cut with scissors like this:

Then braid the dough strips over the meat as shown. And don't make fun of my drawing. ;-) It was WAY easier than trying to explain.

Sprinkle with more mozzarella cheese on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350°F, or according to bread dough packaging, so that the bread bakes and the top is golden brown. Slice and serve right away.

Fetuccini Alfredo

2011-01-29T11:28:00.000-08:00

From: Our Williams-Sonoma Pasta cookbook.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream

5 tablespoons of unsalted butter (or regular, if it's cheaper and you don't care like me)

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (or the cheap canned stuff, again if you don't care like me)

salt and freshly ground (or not) pepper

freshly grated nutmeg (or the not-so-fresh kind)

1 lb homemade tagliatelle or purchased fresh fettuccine (Who are we kidding? I buy the box off the grocery store shelf.)

alternative proportions for more sauce (heavy whipping cream is often sold in 15 oz containers):

16 oz of heavy whipping cream

7 Tbsp of unsalted butter

8 Tbsp of Parmesan cheese (for the sauce)

How To:

Start by cooking the pasta. Generously salt the boiling water before adding the pasta.

While cooking the pasta, in a large saucepan over high heat, bring the cream and butter to a boil. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 1 minute. Add 6 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and whisk over low heat until smooth, about 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Be careful not to add too much salt, as the Parmesan cheese is salty. Add a generous pinch of nutmeg.

When the pasta is ready, drain it and place it in shallow bowl. Pour the sauce over the top and sprinkle 6 more tablespoons of the cheese. Toss well. Serve immediately and pass the remaining cheese at the table.

Side Notes:

This dish should be eaten all in one sitting, as it does not warm well the next day... however if you find yourself with leftovers anyway, don't throw them out. First re-warm the noodles. Add a splash of milk to help prevent drying of the pasta. Then add more Parmesan cheese to taste. Not as good as fresh, but not bad at all.

Makes the amount shown in the picture above. That serving dish is similar to a 9x13 baking pan in size.

Decadent Christmas Hot Chocolate

2011-01-25T00:22:00.000-08:00

*Picture provided by Sarah Valente.

From: KingdomTwindom.com

Ingredients:

milk

water

hot cocoa mix

chocolate chips

marshmallows

peppermint candy cane

How To:

I've lost the original link to Sarah's version of this, so I start by heating water in a teapot, while at the same time, filling about a third of the mug with milk. Heat the milk so it's steaming hot. Add your desired amount of hot cocoa and mix until smooth. Then add the water when it's hot enough. Drop in a small handful of chocolate chips and stir so they melt. Top with marshmallows and mix it with a candy cane.

Turkey Penne Pasta Salad

2011-01-19T20:35:00.000-08:00

From: www.mckmama.com

Ingredients:

cooked and drained whole wheat penne pasta
cooked turkey, shredded OR canned chicken
thinly sliced celery
cherry tomatoes, halved
one avocado, cut into hunks (optional)
bleu cheese crumbles
dried basil leaves, flaked
sea salt to taste
olive oil

How to: Just click here.

Side Notes: In the picture above, I used canned chicken instead of turkey (don't tell Mckmama about my unhealthy substitution - this recipe is one of the few really healthy ones on this blog), and omitted the avocado. I love avocado, but I actually like this recipe better without it.

For lactose intolerance, omit the bleu cheese and add Ranch dressing or balsamic vinegar instead. Raisins (for sweetness) and peanuts (for crunch) make good additions as well.

Play Dough

2011-01-12T21:54:00.000-08:00

From: I got this one from a preschool teacher friend of mine.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup salt
1 teaspoon of food coloring or more
1 teaspoon of cream of tarter
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups of water

How to:

Combine all the ingredients in a medium size pot. Mix thoroughly. Adjust the color if desired by adding more food coloring. I found our wok to be perfect for this... but I use our wok for just about everything under the sun. Cook on medium heat until the dough turns from liquid into a mushy mess and starts to form into a mass and the dough pulls away from the sides of whatever you're cooking it in. At this point, remove it from heat and place on a cutting board to knead until the dough becomes dry and un-sticky. Now you're ready to play! For storage, simply seal it in a couple of air-tight Ziplock bags at room temperature.

Brown Rice

2011-01-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

From: This one is my own concoction, although I'm sure it's already been created by someone else out there somewhere.

Ingredients:

One cup of brown rice
2.5 cups water
1 bouillon cube or 1 "Sazonador de Res" packet (can be found at any Mexican farmers market store) or the flavor packet from the chicken Top Ramen package
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup butter

How to: Toss it all in the rice cooker and turn it on.

Side Notes: My friend Sarah suggests, "For those of you who think you don't like plain rice, try sauteing the dry rice in a little butter, cilantro and lime zest before adding hot water and bringing it to a fast boil."

Costa Rican Style Pork Shoulder

2010-12-29T21:32:00.000-08:00

Pork Shoulder (this post) and Creamy Mashed Potatoes

From:

This Christmas, my Costa Rican husband had a hankering for a Christmas Eve dinner as can only be done in Costa Rica. So he called up his mom and she recited this one by memory. He took no notes. Just remembered years of helping her and set about cooking a few days later. I grilled him later for the measurements so that it can be repeated for years to come. Here you go!

Ingredients:

Pork cut: extra tender boneless pork shoulder. The packaging might also say, "meat for carnitas." 2 lbs, 30 oz feeds a family of 3 with left-overs.

Marinade:

1 Tbsp Salsa Lizano**
1 Tsp of salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder, 3/4 tbs white wine

Other ingredients:

Maraschino cherries
canned pineapple slices

How to:

Remove meat from packaging and remove any fat cuts you wish to. Combine the ingredients of the marinade in a container. Place the meat in the same container and use your hands to rub the marinade all over the pork cuts. Refrigerate overnight (24 hours).

Place the meat in a 9x9 baking dish. Top it with maraschino cherries and pineapple slices. Pour 1/4 cup of the pineapple juice from the can over the meat. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for two hours at 300°F.

Side notes:

**Salsa Lizano (Lizano Sauce) is a sauce made exclusively in Costa Rica. It's sort of the secret ingredient of all Costa Rican food.

Breakfast Never Fail Strata

2010-12-29T21:20:00.000-08:00

From: Donna Wells, a good friend of the family

Ingredients: (the following ingredients are enough to make one layer)

12 slices of buttered bread, cut into small squares
1/2 lb crisp bacon pieces, crumbled (or ham)
1/2 cup sautéd mushrooms
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1 3/4 cups milk
2 tsp mustard
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp onion salt
dash pepper

How To:

The night before: On the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch baking dish, spread the bread out evenly. In a mixing bowl, combine the bacon and mushrooms. Then sprinkle over the top. Next, layer the cheese. In a small mixing bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt, onion salt, and pepper. Pour over the top of the cheese in the baking dish.

For a second layer, repeat on top.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

In the morning: Bake uncovered until puffed and golden . For two layers, bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes. For one layer, bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Side Notes:

Serves 8-12 people

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

2010-12-29T20:40:00.000-08:00

From: The Pioneer Woman

How To: For this one... better just to click there.

Decadent Chocolate Cherry Cake

2010-12-23T21:39:00.000-08:00

From: I hosted a Pampered Chef party once and got a recipe for the cake and then embellished it with my own toppings last night. It is sinfully simple and wickedly delicious. Enough said.

Ingredients:
Any ol' run-of-the-mill chocolate cake mix. Devil's food cake works well.
1 can of cherry pie filling
1 egg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
hot fudge topping
maraschino cherries

How to:

In a mixing bowl, combine chocolate cake mix, pie filling, egg and vegetable oil until batter is smooth and lumps are mostly gone. Pour batter into a baking pan or stone (preferred) if you have one. Bake at 350°F until a knife can be cleanly removed when inserted into cake. Cut and place on plate. Pour hot fudge over the cake and top with cherries.

Turkey Paninis

2010-12-19T23:09:00.000-08:00

From: My friend, Rebecca, got this recipe from her sister-in-law, Jala. It's sinfully delicious!

Ingredients:

8 oz. cream cheese, slightly softened (NOT fat free - it just doesn't taste the same)
1-2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 clove of minced garlic or 1 tsp of garlic salt or garlic powder
Sundried tomato deli turkey – 1/8 pound/sandwich (I couldn't find this, so I just got regular ol' deli turkey.
High quality bread, such as ciabatta rolls or sourdough loaf

How To:

Combine the cream cheese and sundried tomatoes. Add the garlic and refrigerate it for up to a day to allow flavor to permeate. (Or don't. Both times I've made this recipe, I didn't plan ahead enough and it was still just as good.) Prior to making the paninis, soften at room temp or in the microwave for 20-30 seconds so it is spreadable.

Oil or butter the outsides of each piece of bread and spread the cream cheese mixture on the insides of each piece. Put the turkey inside and press on a grill pan. Another option is to toast the bread and then spread the cream cheese mixture on the insides and place the turkey slices in between. To heat the turkey slices, toss them in a skillet with a bit of butter for a minute or two until they begin to sear.

Side Notes:

The sandwiches freeze very well.
Servings: 6
Prep Time: 30-35 minutes

Cheesy Grits

2010-11-14T14:06:00.000-08:00

From: This recipe was passed onto me from a business associate of mine. Yummmm!

Ingredients:

3/4 - 1 cup of grits
16 oz box of Jalapeño Mexican Velveeta Cheese
3/4 stick of margarine
3-4 eggs
7 oz diced green chilis
garlic (optional)
garlic powder (optional)
diced onion (optional)

How to:

Cook 3/4 to one cup of grits according to package instructions.
Stir in one 16-oz box Jalapeno Mexican Velveeta and 3/4 stick of margarine.
Meanwhile, beat 3 or 4 eggs with 7 oz of diced green chilis.
Optionally, add finely diced garlic, garlic powder, and/or diced onion to taste.
Add this mixture to the grits and cheese.
Mix well and pour into a well-greased 4-qt caserole.
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes covered, then another 30(+) minutes uncovered.

Shishkabobs

2010-11-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

Came from: This one is my husband's creation. They are delicious!

Ingredients:

chicken
onion
mango
pineapple
red pepper
oregano - 2 pinches
cumin - 2 pinches
garlic - 2 pinches
salt - 1 pinch
pepper - 1 pinch
(Actually, he doesn't measure... he had to wrack his brain when I asked him how much of each spice, so feel free to be creative.)

How to:

Cut chicken, onion, mango, pineapple, and red pepper into bite-size pieces. Stab them with the shishkabob stick and slide 'em down in the most colorful of patterns... Then fire up the grill.

In the mean time, put the spices into 1/4 cup of oil (olive oil sounds good, but the truth is, we're cheap when it comes to groceries, so we used vegetable oil).

Then slap 'em on the grill and while they cook, brush on the oil and spices mix.

When they look like this...

...eat 'em! Oh, yummm!!!

Baked Oatmeal

2010-11-10T16:02:00.000-08:00

Came from: My friend, Catherine shared this recipe with me. She found it on www.myrecipes.com, although when I tried to find it I couldn't. :(

Dry Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup raisins
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon baking powder

Wet Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten

and... Cooking spray

How to:

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, and egg. Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well. Pour oat mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Side notes:

Catherine only uses 2 tablespoon of brown sugar because otherwise she finds it too sweet. I also made it without nuts and thought it was good. Try baked oatmeal for a unexpected morning treat. It's a mix between an oatmeal bar and traditional creamy breakfast oatmeal. I understand they can be made in a slow cooker, but I haven't figured out how yet. If you figure it out, email me and let me know. These portions yield: 5 servings (serving size: 2/3 cup)

***UPDATED FEB 26, 2011***

This morning we woke up late and I had a craving for baked oatmeal but no time to bake it. So I cut the portions in half (except the egg, which you can't really cut in half), tossed it all in a pot and brought it to a boil. Once boiling I simmered until the it took on an "oatmeal" texture and this is what I got.

I'm munching as I type. Mmmmmm-mmmm-GOOD!! Plus, it made just enough for myself and my toddler son (exactly what you seen in the picture), and it only took me 10 minutes to cook! I'm not sure if the baking powder is necessary this way. Next time I'll remove it and see how it comes out. I'll keep you posted!

-------------------------- END UPDATED PORTION --------------------------

Nutritional Information of original recipe:
(according to the print-out that Catherine gave me)
Calories:281 (24% from fat)
Fat:7.6g (sat 2.8g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.9g)
Protein:7g
Carbohydrate:48.8g
Fiber:3.4g
Cholesterol:47mg
Iron:0.8mg
Sodium:171mg
Calcium:148mg

Enchiladas

2010-11-09T23:16:00.000-08:00

Came from: My friend Annie shared it with me and now I'm sharing it with you!

Ingredients:

1 lb of boneless skinless chicken
1 box of cream cheese
¼ cup diced green peppers canned with juice and all
6-8 tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese
1 can of green chile enchilada sauce

How to:

In a skillet cook the chicken with any spices you like. I usually shake salt, pepper, oregano, cumin and garlic salt over mine. Shred the chicken right in the pan if you have cheap pans like we do or do it on a cutting board and throw the chicken right back into the pan. Add cream cheese and diced green peppers. Cook until the ingredients are all melted and fully mixed together. Remove from heat.

In an 11x9 baking dish, pour in a small amount of the enchilada sauce, to cover the bottom of the dish. Pampered chef stoneware is the best for this, but any old baking dish will do. Then spoon into each tortilla the chicken mix and a small handful of cheddar cheese. Fold and close/roll the tortillas. Lay them face down in the pan so they won’t roll open. Pour on top of the enchiladas the rest of the enchilada sauce. Top with more cheddar cheese.

Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve.

Side Notes: This meal is mildly spicy. I wouldn't hesitate to serve to any adults, but we held off from serving it to our son till he's got a little more tolerance for spice.