Bacon Corn and Chicken Stew/Chowder?

Serves 6-8

1 small red bell pepper chopped
1 small green bell pepper chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 jalapeno finely minced
4 slices bacon chopped
2 cups cooked chicken
6 cans chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 cans Mexican corn with peppers
1 cup frozen corn, defrosted
Salt & Pepper
1 can diced green chilies
Rue (I used 3/4 of a cube of butter and an equal amount flour to make a stew)

Fry bacon in large skillet till done. Take out bacon with a slotted spoon leaving grease, drain bacon on a paper towel. Add peppers and onion to grease and cook until softened. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and add to Dutch Oven. Add the canned corn with juices, defrosted corn and jalapeno stir till warmed and combined. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add as much rue as you would like, more to make a chowder less to make a stew. Bring to a boil and boil for a minute to thicken. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Add cream and canned chilies stir to combine. Add cooked chicken and drained bacon at the end and let simmer for 15 minutes for all the flavors to marry. Season to taste, but remember the bacon is pretty salty so watch the salt. Serve~

Orange Chicken

This is a lower calorie and much fresher tasting orange chicken. It is the way Panda Exress' should taste.

Ingredients:
Chicken-
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders (cut into 1-1/2” cubes)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Orange Sauce-
2 cups water
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons orange juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated)
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ginger root (minced or grated)
1 teaspoon garlic (minced)
3 tablespoons green onion (chopped)
¼ - 1/2 teaspoon sambal (chili garlic paste) or red pepper flakes
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup water
Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Combine flour, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Shake chicken in flour mixture to coat. Brown the chicken in batches using a few tablespoons of vegetable oil on med-high heat until golden brown. Put chicken in the oven for 10 minutes to finish cooking.

Step 2: Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 2 cups water, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger, and garlic. Bring to a boil.

Step 3: Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Add orange juice and onion. Pour sauce over chicken, serve over rice and garnish with green onions.

Adapted from Blog chef

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken Tikka Masala
Makes 5-6 servings

This may look like a lot of ingredients, but it is a quick recipe to make (sans the hour marinade)

INGREDIENTS

For the marinade
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (full fat for easier grilling)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice or half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ½ to1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 6 boneless skinless chicken tenders or 2 breasts cut into strips
• 3 boneless skinless thighs (for added flavor and it is more authentic)

For the sauce
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 4 teaspoons paprika
• ½ - 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cup heavy cream or *half and half
• ¼ - 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (to taste)
• 2 dashes of allspice
• 2 dashes of cinnamon
• Dash of cayenne if you like more spice

For this recipe you can either cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and grill on skewers or leave the chicken whole and cut after grilling. I think leaving it whole creates more tender juicier chicken.

Preparation

1. In a bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and teaspoon salt. Pour over chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Preheat a grill for high heat.

3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill chicken whole or thread chicken onto skewers, and discard remaining marinade. Start the thigh meat 5 minutes before the tenders. Grill until juices run clear, about 5 minutes on each side.

4. Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Sauté garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken, and simmer for a few minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over basmati or jasmine rice.

*If you choose to use half and half you may want to decrease the spices by about ½. If you like your food to be boldly spiced (not heat but flavor) then leave the spices as they are above.

(adapted by Kristan from Allreceipes.com)

Beef Shepherd's Pie

In honor of St. Patrick's day......

* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 medium onion, diced
* 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
* 1 rib celery, sliced
* 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon kosher salt
* 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 3 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 pound ground beef
* 1/4 cup canned low sodium beef broth
* 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 4 cups Mashed Potatoes, recipe follows
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, optional
* Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Directions

Heat the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, half the salt, and oregano. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until mushrooms are soft and tomato paste has turned brick red, about 8 minutes more. Stir in the beef, the broth, the remaining salt, the Worcestershire, and some pepper, breaking up any large clumps of meat, cook until the meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

Transfer the meat and vegetables to a 2-quart oval casserole dish and spread the mashed potatoes over the top, leaving a 1/4-inch boarder around the edge. Make a decorative pattern on the top of the potatoes, if desired. Sprinkle with cheese, if using, and dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Bake until potatoes brown and the juices bubble around the edge, about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Copyright 2005 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.
Mashed Potatoes:

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled quartered

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning

3/4 cup whole milk

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

Put the potatoes in a saucepan with cold water to cover by about 1-inch and add the salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender but not mushy, about 15 minutes. At the same time, combine the milk and butter in a small saucepan and warm over low heat until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.

Drain the potatoes and return to the saucepan. Toss the potatoes over medium heat until dry. Add the heated milk mixture and mash the potatoes until just slightly chunky, then stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Mediterranean Tuna

2 cans albacore tuna
EVOO to taste
1-2 tablespoons minced capers
1-2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
zest of 1/2 a lemon
fresh ground pepper and pinch of salt

Makes a delicious and fresh tasting tuna sandwich. Great on top of greens for a fabulous salad.

No Pan Pear Pie

I have only made this twice, but it is a TOTAL winner. The balsamic vinegar makes this. It is so delicious and fruity and the crust has a fabulous texture. A showstopper!

No Pan Pear Pie

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

Ingredients
For the dough:

* 2 1/2 cups flour
* 1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided, diced
* 3 tablespoons apple juice concentrate
* 2 tablespoons cold water

For the filling:

* 2 Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
* 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (really, it is seriously good)
* 4 tablespoons sugar
* 1 pinch grated nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1 cup blueberries
* 1 teaspoon flour
* 1 1/2 cups pound cake, cubed
* 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Pulse to combine. Place dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and put the bowl into the refrigerator. Remove 1/2 stick of butter from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature. In a food processor, add the 1/2 stick of butter to the flour mixture. Pulse until the fat completely disappears. Add the remaining 1 1/2 sticks butter in separate batches. Pulse until flour mixture resembles the size of a pea.

Combine the apple juice concentrate and the cold water. Using a spray bottle, spritz the dough with the apple juice mixture while folding the mixture with a spatula. After about three tablespoons of the liquid, check the dough for consistency. It should hold together when compressed but remain relatively dry to the touch. If it does not bind, add a little more water. Remove from the processor and form the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough in wax paper or parchment paper and rest in refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add pears to the pan and toss for 2 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and continue to toss for 30 seconds. Add sugar and cook until the pears have softened. Add the nutmeg, cinnamon, and the butter and melt slowly. Fold in the blueberries. Remove from heat. Sprinkle on the flour and combine well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Place dough on a floured piece of parchment and roll out to a 1/4-inch thick disk. Transfer to a baking sheet. Place cubed pound cake in the middle of the dough, leaving a 3-inch margin of crust on all sides. Spoon filling over the cake cubes and top the pears with 1 ounce of cubed butter. Lift excess crust onto filling and repeat in a clockwise fashion until a top lip has formed around the edge of the whole tart. Brush the tart with the egg wash and sprinkle the crust with the sugar.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the filling begins to bubble and the crust is golden brown.

Remove from the sheet pan immediately and cool on pie rack.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Cups

Recipe courtesy Guy Fieri

Serves:
6 servings

Ingredients

* 1 tablespoon oil
* 1 small carrot, diced
* 1/2 celery rib, diced
* 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
* 5 snap peas, diced
* 1/2 cup diced red onion
* 1/2 cup bean sprouts
* 2 chicken breast, diced
* 6 ounces Apricot Sesame Sambal Szechwan Sauce, recipe follows
* 6 iceberg lettuce leaves
* 2 tablespoons diced green onions
* 2 tablespoons crushed, unsalted peanuts
* Black sesame seeds, for garnish

Directions

In a medium saute pan over high heat, add oil. Add vegetables, and chicken, saute for 45 seconds. Deglaze with sambal sauce for 30 seconds.

Add wonton to lettuce cup, pour chicken and veg mix into cup, top with green onions and peanuts. Garnish lettuce cups with black sesame seeds.
Apricot Sesame Sambal Sauce:

* 1/2 cup soy sauce
* 3 tablespoons minced garlic
* 3 tablespoons minced ginger
* 3 tablespoons sambal hot sauce
* 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
* 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
* 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
* 1 teaspoon minced cilantro
* 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
* 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Shake before serving.

Dream Bars

Preheat oven to 350
Crush 8 graham crackers in a plastic bag
melt 1 stick of butter in a 9X13 pan
Evenly distribute graham crackers over butter
Sprinkle on 2 handfuls of shredded sweetened coconut
Sprinkle on 3 handfuls of semi-sweet good quality chocolate chips
Sprinkle on 2 handfuls of your favorite nut roughly chopped.
Pour one can of sweetened condensed milk evenly over all of the layers.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. let cool and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares. Repeat often.

Cake Pan Size Conversions

Cake Pan Size Conversions

http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Cake-Pan-Size-Conversions/Detail.aspx

By: Allrecipes Staff

Trying to fit a square cake into a round pan? Find out how much batter you'll need.
Related Links

* Baking Ingredient Conversions
* Cake Recipes
* Cake Decorating Advice

If you have an unusual pan size and would like to figure out its capacity, measure the amount of water it takes to fill the pan.

* Compare that measurement to the volumes in our chart (or the cake pan size listed in your recipe) to determine how much batter you'll need.
* To ensure a cake rises evenly, you should only fill your pans to the half-way mark.
* The baking time may change as well, so it is imperative that you keep a watchful eye on your cake, and check for doneness using your preferred method.
* It's always better to have a little extra batter, rather than not enough. Once you've filled the pans half-full, use any remaining batter to bake a few cupcakes.

Common Substitutions

substitutions guide.
http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Common-Substitutions/Detail.aspx

Commonly Used Measurements & Equivalents

Commonly Used Measurements & Equivalents

By: Allrecipes Staff

How much is a peck, a pint, or a pinch?


1/2 teaspoon


= 30 drops

1 teaspoon


= 1/3 tablespoon or 60 drops

3 teaspoons


= 1 tablespoon or 1/2 fluid ounce

1/2 tablespoon


= 1 1/2 teaspoons

1 tablespoon


= 3 teaspoons or 1/2 fluid ounce

2 tablespoons


= 1/8 cup or 1 fluid ounce

3 tablespoons



= 1 1/2 fluid ounce or 1 jigger

4 tablespoons


= 1/4 cup or 2 fluid ounces

5 1/3 tablespoons


= 1/3 cup or 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon

8 tablespoons


= 1/2 cup or 4 fluid ounces

10 2/3 tablespoons


= 2/3 cup or 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons

12 tablespoons


= 3/4 cup or 6 fluid ounces

16 tablespoons


= 1 cup or 8 fluid ounces or 1/2 pint

1/8 cup


= 2 tablespoons or 1 fluid ounce

1/4 cup


= 4 tablespoons or 2 fluid ounces

1/3 cup


= 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon

3/8 cup


= 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons

1/2 cup


= 8 tablespoons or 4 fluid ounces

2/3 cup


= 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons

5/8 cup


= 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons

3/4 cup


= 12 tablespoons or 6 fluid ounces

7/8 cup


= 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons

1 cup


= 16 tablespoons or 1/2 pint or 8 fluid ounces

2 cups


= 1 pint or 16 fluid ounces

1 pint


= 2 cups or 16 fluid ounces

1 quart


= 2 pints or 4 cups or 32 fluid ounces

1 gallon


= 4 quarts or 8 pints or 16 cups or 128 fluid ounces

My Big, Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Tyler Florence original, I changed a few things.
Ingredients

* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 2 large eggs
* 1 (8-ounce) block dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Place the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chocolate chunks using the spatula.

To form the cookies, scoop into your hands and roll it around into a ball; place them about 3-inches apart onto cookie sheets. Bake until the cookies are light brown, 12 minutes for chewy cookies, or about 15 minutes for crispy cookies. Forming the balls made perfect round take to the neighbors cookies.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough/cookie sheets.

World's Best French Dip

The original french dip was created in 1918 at Philippes in LA. From what I have heard, their lamb french dip is the best. In honor of Philippes I made my very own lamb french dip with my left over rotisserie lag of lamb. It is to DIE FOR! Much better than the beef version.

Left over medium rare leg of lamb sliced thinly
1 cup of strong beef stock (I use the beef base from costco)
2 cloves of garlic thinly sliced
1 sprig of rosemary
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 loaf of french bread or 4 sub rolls

Heat the oil in a small sauce pan. Add garlic and rosemary and lightly toast for about 60 seconds. Add beef stock and simmer for a few minutes. Meanwhile thinly slice the lamb and butter the bread. Toast bread under the broiler or in a cast iron pan on the stove top. Spread some good Dijon mustard on one side of the bread and top with a slice of provolone. (You may want to put it back under the broiler to melt the cheese. Dunk the lamb into the au jus to flavor the broth and heat the lamb through (be careful not to "cook" the lamb and make it tough. Put the lamb on the sandwich and spoon some au jus down over the meat. You may dunk the whole sandwich as is tradition or serve it along with the au jus.