Top 5 for 2013

I just realized I never did a Top 5 for my 2013 blog posts. That's what happens when you are moving from one state to another to then pack up and move half way across the world again....all in the matter of 4 months!!

The Top 5 for this year are still family favorites of ours. All 5 recipes can easily be incorporated into a meal plan, prepared in advance or even taken to a potluck.


1. Tamale Chicken Bake

This is an easy go to recipe if you love tamales but don't have the time or the know how to prepare tamales from scratch ;-)

 2. Strawberry Crisp
LOVE this recipe! So easy to make and so delicious.

3. Mexican Cornbread Salad
Not only does this taste yummy but it looks great too.

4. Sweet Sesame Chicken
One of my absolute favorite go to recipes I have.

 5. Turkey & Wild Rice Soup
Nothing taste better then homemade soup and fresh baked bread on a cloudy day.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

Don't ask me why I never made homemade tortillas in the past but now that I know how simple and so much more tastier they are I don't think I will ever go back to store bought kind.  The best part about making them homemade is that the ingredients are so simple and you "should" have everything in your pantry waiting to be used. The other great thing about this recipe is that it didn't require any special kitchen tools (minus a rolling pin or in my case a glass)....not needing any special tools to make these delicious tortillas is an added bonus for me since our household items are still in transit so I have had to find ways to accommodate the fact that I don't have my mixer, blender, knives and all the other tools I took for granted when I had them readily available.

I have only tried flour tortilla's but I do have cornmeal in my pantry waiting to be used for corn tortillas. I can't imagine them being any more difficult to make and I will share the outcome once I make them. I found a recipe to make homemade enchilada sauce too so my plan is to make enchiladas completely from scratch!!

Homemade Flour Tortillas

3 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

⅓ cup oil (I used canola oil)

1 cup warm water (not boiling)

Directions:

In a large bowl combine your dry ingredients and stir. I combine the oil and warm water in my measuring cup before pouring them into the flour mixture (easier clean up). Stir in the oil and water, your dough will be a bit crumbly or shaggy looking at first but after kneading it about 10 times it should come together nicely. 

Now transfer your dough to a well floured surface. Divide the dough into about 16 equal portions. 16 portions makes tortillas large enough to roll into burritos, if you want them smaller just cut your portions in half again. My kids love the smaller size for soft tacos.

Flatten the portions quickly and gently by hand (you are just prepping the shape, so don't over flatten the dough now). Cover them with a clean kitchen towel and let them rest for about 10-15 minutes.

My rolling pin is still packed away so I had to improvise and used a glass instead! It works but I can't wait to get my rolling pin back.

After your resting time is over they are ready to roll out. You want to roll them as thin as possible without creating holes, they should almost be see through. **Don't have a fan on during this part, otherwise the dough will dry out too fast and then the tortillas will crack when you try rolling or folding them after cooking**

Keep the unrolled dough covered while you are working too. I roll out 4 portions before I start cooking them, this way I have 2 cooking, and 2 waiting while I work on the next 2 to roll. If you have a helper in the kitchen have them do the rolling or the flipping because they do cook fast. 

Heat your pan or pans to medium-high heat. Don't add anything to your pan to cook the tortillas. Once you notice golden-brown spots they are are ready to be flipped. Cook them the same way on each side. 

Eat them now, save them at room temp up to 24 hrs, store cooled tortillas in the fridge or freeze them for later. Either way enjoy them and learn to love the taste of homemade! 

Let me know if you feel the same as me "why haven't I done this sooner!?" 

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

I love curry and I love my slow cooker so I would only assume that the two would go together just lovely. I usually make my chicken curry on the stove top but had to give this recipe a try AND it did not fail. I have been holding on to this recipe for quite some time, it was meant for my freezer/meal plan cooking BUT I needed to try it out first before I actually added it to my list. I have never combined sweet potatoes, mango and curry in the same pot and wasn't really sure how this would turn out, to my surprise I really like it and will be adding this to my freezer meal plans.

Question to all of you.....have you ever seen yellow sweet potatoes??
I haven't until I moved to Tucson. I have only ever used and seen the red/orange sweet potatoes but never yellow or white ones. Our local grocery store carries yellow/white sweet potatoes and the red/orange yams. I can honestly say that I really didn't know the difference between the two so I did a little reading and searching. From what I gathered is the yellow/white sweet potatoes and the red/orange yams are pretty much the same thing, with very little difference.....the biggest differences are the moisture content and color, sweet potatoes have a lower water content vs. the yam. I also read that the yellow sweet potatoes are more common in the Southern states like Arizona and New Mexico so this could also explain why I hadn't seen them until now. (Next time I go to the grocery store I will take a picture of the two different sweet potatoes and share them with you)

SO I guess I have been eating "yams" and not really sweet potatoes...UNTIL today!!!

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry

3 TBS flour
4 TBS curry
1 tsp cumin
salt & pepper
2 lbs chicken breast or boneless thighs **I used breast because that's what I had but do think that thighs would be just as yummy**
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 cups of carrots, roughly chopped
2 mangos, peeled and cubed
1 cup chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
2 chicken bouillon cubes or 2 tsp chicken granules

****Now you can either make one meal (that will make 6-8 servings) or you can divide it into 2 gallon size freezer bags and freeze****

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with rice or couscous.

If you are doing the freezer option: Combine all your ingredients EXCEPT the chicken bouillon cubes/granules. After combing all your ingredients divide it into 2 gallon size freezer bags, then add 1 bouillon cube or 1 tsp chicken granule to each bag. Shake & Freeze.

Sweet Sesame Chicken

Getting either Chinese or Thai take-out on those nights where my day just seemed to be a little more hectic then I anticipated or wanted and don't get me wrong even though I LOVE both our take-out options I think I might have found one of the two cuisines match!!!

Don't mind my paperplate or brussel sprouts because I love both of them :-)

I have had a few different Honey Sesame Chicken recipes written down and pinned to try but they all called for 1 cup of honey. Now between you and me honey is a little pricey especially if you are using 1 whole cup of it in a recipe that you aren't too sure about in the first place....so instead of the honey I used brown sugar and honestly I don't think I even want to try using honey. The flavor was so yummy and delicious that I will be holding this recipe up against any take-out or eat-in Chinese restaurant I eat at in the future.

Seriously I am adding this to my all time favorite crock pot recipes!!


Sweet Sesame Chicken

Chicken all ready to cook

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts....thighs would be fine too
salt and pepper
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tsp onion powder OR 1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 cup ketchup
2 TBS oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes....optional- won't add much heat but it will add flavor

4 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 6 TBS water
sesame seeds.....you won't need this until your are ready to serve

Directions:

Season both sides of chicken with lightly with salt and pepper, put into crock pot.

In a small bowl combine brown sugar, soy sauce, onion powder, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken and give it a good stir to coat the chicken evenly. Cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Time may vary depending on if you are using frozen or thawed chicken

I could have just eaten right out of the bowl!!

Remove chicken from crock pot, leave sauce. Cut chicken into bite size pieces or shred....I decided to shred it because my chicken was so tender it just fell apart! Return chicken to pot and toss with sauce and then remove chicken again. Don't leave it in the sauce because it will be too overwhelming in flavor.

So remove the chicken, pour sauce into a small saucepan and then return chicken back into the warm crockpot to keep warm until ready to serve.

Turn the heat onto medium heat to warm the sauce up to a simmer. Meanwhile dissolve 4 teaspoons of cornstarch in 6 tablespoons of water and pour into saucepan. Stir to combine with sauce. Continue stirring and cooking sauce until it thickens.



Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice or noodles....I forgot to add the sesame seeds but it still tasted AMAZING!!

Chicken Pot Pie

Making pot pie from scratch is something I will be teaching all 3 of my children once they are old enough..... this is an important recipe to know how to make. I love the smell of the filling while it is cooking and then the combination of the filling and the crust baking in the oven is so comforting.....don't you think??


Don't be intimidated by the LONG directions....once you make this you will see that it really isn't as hard as the LONG list makes it seem!!

If you do not have the time to make the crust from scratch or just don't feel like you have mastered it (and trust me on some days I feel that way too) go right and use a store bought crust, I like the rolls in the refrigerated section. The texture will be a bit different then the crust recipe I provided you with but it will still do the trick.

 If you do like making crust from scratch and have the time then go right ahead or if you want a recipe to practice with use my recipe it is tried and true. Just remember crust is tricky no matter how many times you might have already made crust. If the humidity is too high or your hands are too warm are both reasons for crust sabotage so do not discouraged if your first crust is not magazine worthy....some of my first crusts were not presentable or tasty at all!!




Chicken Pot Pie

Crust:
1 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 TBS cold butter
1/3 cup milk ( I use lactose free milk)

***this is enough for one crust, double if you want to top your pie with a crust***

Filling:
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk ( I use lactose free milk)
3 cups cooked chicken, either shredded or cut into bite-size cubes
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen mixed veggies or peas & carrots


Directions:
Lightly grease your baking dish (either deep dish pie pan or a 9x9 square pan work well)
Preheat oven to 425F (if baking right after assembling)


Filling

Start with a clean pan or stockpot. Heat pan with your butter until the butter is melted and starting to bubble. Once the butter is bubbling stir in flour, onions, salt and pepper. Cook again until bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk in broth and milk. Return over heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture has thickened. Add chicken and veggies; stir to combine and remove from heat.



Crust

Combine dry ingredients and cut in butter until it resembles small peas. Add milk all at once and stir just until moisten. Scoop mixture out onto a floured surface and knead about 8 times. The dough should be ready to roll.

**** There are 3 different ways to make and bake a chicken pot pie****
1. Filling with top crust only
2. Bottom crust only
3. Top and bottom crust
If you are baking and serving I suggest pre-baking your crust just for a few minutes, no more then 5 minutes, this will help prevent the bottom from being under baked or soggy when you add the filling. BUT before baking lightly brush the pie crust with butter.

If you are making a top crust I suggest just prepping the dough to the point of rolling it out, then store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to roll it out. When you roll out the dough make sure to roll it a bit larger then the bottom crust, to make sure you are able to seal the edges to the bottom crust.



NOW TO PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

1. Filling with top crust only: Pour filling into prepared baking pan and top with your rolled out crust. Cut a 2 slits into the top to allow some of the steam to release while baking. Bake 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

2. Bottom crust only: After pre-baking crust; pour filling into crust and bake for another 20 minutes.

3. Top and Bottom crust: After pre-baking crust; pour filling into crust, top with top crust. Seal the edges of the bottom crust together with the top crust by pinching the crust together and then pressing down with a fork. Cut 2 slits into the top to allow steam to release while baking. Baking 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.



****This can freezes well too....let the filling cool completely before adding to your baking dish with either of the 3 crust options. Cover in plastic wrap first then add another layer of foil to prevent freezer burn. When you plan on baking and serving DO NOT thaw first, take it out of the freezer while you are preheating the oven to 425F. Unwrap and bake; time will then increase to about 1 hour, give or take depending on how long it was stored in the freezer. I recommend not freezing longer then 3 months though. You will know when the pie is ready once the filling is bubbly and/or the crust is golden brown****

Old Fashioned Muffins

I had the desire to try out a new recipe that I stumbled upon by accident. Doughnuts who doesn't like doughnuts? Honestly I don't because they don't like me ;-) I don't know if its because they are fried or if it is something in them that doesn't sit right with me but I just steer clear of them. SO when I saw the description of these on another fellow bloggers website I thought "heck why not give them a try" maybe this way I can get the taste of eating doughnuts without having to deal with the consequences.

Old Fashioned Muffins

1/4 cup butter, room temp
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups flour
1 cup milk (I used lactose free milk)

Glaze (the best part)
3 TBS butter, melted
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 TBS hot water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick spray.
 **I used muffin liners...it got a bit messy when it came to glazing time and I think next time I will try them without liners**

This picture does not justice to how fluffy the batter is!!

In a large bowl beat butter, oil, sugar and brown sugar until creamy and smooth. Beat in one egg at a time. Turn mixer on low speed and add baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract mix until just combined. Slowly add flour into mixture alternately with milk. Stir just until combined, DO NOT OVERMIX.

I forgot to smooth the tops

Spoon batter into cups, filling them (they rise but not crazy out of control). There is enough batter for exactly 12 filled muffin cups. Smooth batter before baking.

Bake 15-17 mins, rotate halfway through bake time.

Cool muffins 5 minutes in muffin pan before removing to cool. Cool 10 minutes before glazing.

Meanwhile while muffins are cooling prepare the glaze.

To make the glaze whisk glaze ingredients together until the mixture is smooth. 

Dip muffins into glaze, let the first dip set and then re-dip again.

Muffins taste great warm and will be keep at room temp for 1 day.....but I bet you won't even need to keep them that long!


****These could be frozen after cooling and then glazed once thawed****

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

After a long week of a teething and cranky baby, between the three of our children these two teeth have been by far the worst teething moment ever. I am glad that these are finally out and he is not feeling so miserable anymore. Fingers crossed that the rest of his teeth aren't this torturous for him. With him back on his normal napping routine I am finally finding a few moments to share our FAVORITE cookie recipe!

My original recipe had peanut butter which I left out to make sure that I could serve them to friends of ours who have a nut allergy. I knew the recipe worked with the peanut butter but decided to give it a whirl to see how they turn out without it. I have to honestly say that I LOVE these SO SO much more then with the peanut butter! They are a great combination of rich & chewy but at the same time a perfect crispness to them that goes well with either  a cold glass of milk or even a hot cup of coffee. They keep so well and don't loose their texture or taste even after a few days of being in our cookie jar...not that they usually last very long anyway in our house!

I think I am going to have a hard time finding another cookie recipe to top this....but no worries I won't give up that quick!

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup each rolled oats and chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F and prepare your cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper.

Cream butter with both sugars, until they are creamy. While the butter and sugars are mixing, combine your flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Add egg and vanilla extract. After stirring in your egg and vanilla slowly start incorporating your dry ingredients. Mixture will start getting thick after adding in all your flour. Then add both the oats and chocolate chips at the same time. Stir just until incorporated.

Scoop dough using a TBS onto your cookie sheet leaving 2 inches in between each cookie because they do spread a bit.

Bake 8-11 minutes or until just lightly golden brown. Be careful not to over-bake these!!!
Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.

Makes about 4-5 dozen (depending on size of spoon or scoop you use)


These also freeze well, you can either freeze them before you bake them or after they are completely cooled.
If you are freezing them before baking, scoop them onto your baking sheet and then put them into the freezer for about 30 minutes. Transfer them to a freezer safe ziploc and freeze until you are ready to bake them. When you are ready to bake them just pop them onto your cookie sheet while you are waiting on your oven to reach temperature. Baking time may increase by 2-3 minutes. It will depend on how long you leave them on your cookie sheet before baking.

Teriyaki Chicken

A friend of mine suggested placing your slow cooker in the garage or outside on the patio to keep the house from heating up. Which is funny because you read all the time how using your slow cooker shouldn't heat your house up as much as your oven does but I am starting think this is not so true. I find my kitchen gets pretty darn warm when I use my slow cooker, of course all in all it is less then using my oven but still ;-) I didn't put mine out in the garage.....I don't have a covered patio and it is suppose to be 99F outside today, don't think that would be too good for my chicken and I plan on using my oven to try out a new recipe (will share in another post) so the house will heat up anyway!

I don't have any pictures of my prep work because I was in a hurry to get it all into the slow cooker....Andrew started fussing for his bottle and nappy as soon as I started cutting the onions!

Here is my recipe:

Teriyaki Chicken 
Serves 4-6 (we usually have leftovers)

2 1/2 lbs chicken thighs or tenders (today I use frozen thighs)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 medium onion, chopped (I use sweet onion)

Combine everything into your slow cooker. Set temperature on low for 6 hrs.

Serve with rice and your favorite steamed veggies. I like to sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over mine.


FREEZER prepping:

This meal could be divided into two freezer meals for smaller families.

Stir brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic together into a large bowl.

If you are using fresh chicken....toss chicken and onion in soy mixture and then transfer to a ziploc bag.
If you are using frozen chicken.....place chicken and onion into ziploc bag and then pour soy mixture over it.

Label with cooking directions. Thaw 30 minutes before putting into your slow cooker, no need to thaw completely.

Brats & Peppers

Wow, I can't believe how fast my weekend came and went!! I don't think my schedule was just a tad bit over-scheduled this past weekend.....house cleaning, trying out new recipes, book club, homework and finally getting to go to the pool again (monsoon has made it nearly impossible these last weeks). I finally got to watch the movie The Hunger Games,  I loved the book MUCH better. Don't get me wrong the movie was good but it was missing so much from the book.

The only thing I didn't have time to squeeze in was this post!! But hey better now then never, right?


I want to share a recipe with you that I found while searching for recipes to add to my meal planning. It is such an easy and fast recipe to prep.

Here is the recipe I use:

Brats & Peppers

6 plain bratwurst, sliced (these are not flavored but you could probably use italian sausages too)
2 green bell peppers, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 red onion, sliced
4 tsp of minced garlic (or 4 cloves minced)
2 cans diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 TBS italian seasoning
2 TBS olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss to coat.

If you are prepping this to freeze for later, divide the mixture into 2 freezer safe ziploc bags or containers. Then to serve just thaw for 30-45 minutes on the counter, this should be enough time to get the mixture out of your bag or container. Then dump into your slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.

If you are cooking right away, add the mixture to your slow cooker and set on low for 6 hours. If you cook all of the mixture at once you should have leftovers since we make two meals out of this recipe.

We love making this and eating it either with pasta or even just some slices of french bread.